Couple of new posts

I've found a fantastic community over at Destructoid. I recently posted an article on the God of War collection for the PS3, and figured since said game is releasing today, it would be appropriate to link it here.

I've also moved my review for inFAMOUS over to HonestGamers.com, which is a fantastic database of user reviews that accepts practically any and all reviews you're willing to submit. I say I moved it because I wanted it to be an exclusive review for HG. If you make your review exclusive for them, it gets put in one of the sidebars on the front page when it's published. Woo hoo for extra publicity! You can find it here.

Unfortunately, visitors cannot leave comments on either of these sites... you have to have an account with them. So, if you would like to leave a comment, drop it off here at RMG in the comments below!

Moving for a while...

Alright, friends, I've decided to move to a new site for a while. I'm heading over to Destructoid's incredibly vibrant community where members' blogs get promoted to the front page if they're actually good and the people are actually somewhat intelligent and mature.

You can find my new digs over here.

If it doesn't go over so well, then I'm sure I'll return at some point.

If you still would like to comment on anything I write, I believe you have to have an account with Destructoid. I know that sounds like a bummer, but I figure if you already read this blog, then you probably are something of a gamer anyway. If that's the case, then you should definitely take the time to register at DTOID. Incredible community; good, original writing, and welcoming members all convinced me to make the switch.

See you over there!

-Anthony

Microsoft...

...has struck again. Got home Saturday afternoon from a day with the girlfriend, ready to Halo it up in matchmaking with my partner in crime. Turned the system on...

only to have the E74 error.

Yep. 3 days before ODST.

Sucks.

Two unbelievable articles

Again, still hiatus-ing, but I read these two articles today and just HAD to share them here.

First: apparently somebody in California has lost one too many Halo 3 online matches. Randy Nunez filed suit (in November 2007!) against Microsoft and Bungie alleging the both entities released the popular title knowing that it was defective and would not work with Microsoft's console.

So I guess those 1 billion matches of Halo 3 played online throw a wrench in all that, doesn't it?

Not to mention the fact that Bungie has released two major patches (the Auto Update and Title Update 2) to fix issues in the game.

My only guess is that he either (1) has a crappy online connection that prevents him from playing most matches, (2) has no connection and therefore cannot receive patches, or (3) tried to install the game on his 360's hard drive, which Bungie has already recommended against.

Second: Courtney Love plans to sue Activision for putting Kurt Cobain's likeness in Guitar Hero 5.

....um, I cannot believe I'm writing this, but I actually agree with Love on this one. I couldn't believe it when I heard Activision had the stones to put the late guitarist in the game.

I hope she cleans their clock.

September 9, 1999

I'm still on my hiatus, but I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the significance of this day. Why? Today marks a day that will forever live in the hearts of dedicated gamers everywhere: the anniversary of the release of the Dreamcast console.

I must be up front: I did not own a Dreamcast at any time during its run. My appreciation of this hardware did not come until many years later. In fact, not until the last year or so.

About a year ago, I began to notice more and more articles about the caliber of Sega's little white console. This was also the time when I began to get not only an itch to write about gaming, but also to collect all the old consoles of my childhood. I still owned my N64, and I found a Sega Genesis on eBay (and it reeked of smoke... moron who sold it to me did NOT put that little bit of info in the item's description). I almost went after a NES and SNES, but realized that most of the games I wanted to play on them were available on Wii's Virtual Console (although you can still buy emulator systems for a good price).

In my eBay hayday, one of my most sought after items was a Dreamcast. I didn't want to get one new... those run for at least $80 (that's only $20 cheaper than a BRAND NEW PS2. That should tell you something about this sytem). I finally found one that came with two controllers and no games. Why no games? I wanted to amass my own Dreamcast collection. I didn't want any crappy, filler games to sully the mix.

I remember the day that it came, and how incredible it was to open that box and hold that system, realizing that I had history in my hands.

History?

Yes. For it's time, the Dreamcast was arguably one of the most technologically advanced systems ever made. It brought the gaming industry into the type of three dimensional gaming that we know today. Yes, the Playstation and N64 were the first successful consoles to introduce 3D gaming, but the Dreamcast was the first to show what 3D gaming would eventually become (the GameCube, PS2, and Xbox were still at least a year off). It was also the first console to have a modem built in to the system itself. Keep in mind that this was over two years before the release of the original Xbox (and therefore, Xbox Live).

Simply put, the Dreamcast was years ahead of its time.

With a gaming library that includes Rez, SoulCalibur, Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, Skies of Arcadia, Jet Grind Radio, Crazy Taxi, and Shenmue 1 and 2, it's easy to see why this console is celebrated as one the best and, unfortunately, also one of the most short-lived.

Need any more eveidence? How about the fact that developers (albeit small, independent ones) are still making Dreamcast games.

Happy birthday, Dreamcast. We sure miss ya.

A Brief Hiatus

For those of you who don't know, I recently moved into a new apartment a month ago. Since then, things have been incredibly hectic: I went on vacation with my family about a week after my last post here, and then went to College Station, TX for a good friend's wedding not two weeks after that. I've been home three days from that trip to Texas, and I still have not updated my blog in over a month now.

When I started this blog, I wanted to be able to post at least two or three times a week. As I've begun the process of maintaining personal and financial independence from my parents, as well as maintaining my relationship with a phenomenal woman, I recently arrived at the conclusion that I am not in a position to maintain this site.

Don't misunderstand... I'm definitely not shutting this down. I merely will be taking a hiatus. I learned a lot through the first two months of my blog, and one the things I need to do is develop a solid pool of material to draw from if I don't have anything in particular to write about. I have lots of ideas I want to work on, but I need the time to actually WORK on them. I know I can produce better work than some of the material on here, and I want to do you, the reader, the right service in producing the best quality of content as I am able.

Check back here periodically, and thanks for those who have been faithfully reading these last few months. I'll see you in the near future.

Anthony

Blurring Lines

Remember all the coverage leading up to the release of Fallout 3? The previews from E3; the haunting dulcet tones of "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire," from the commercials; the sterling reviews that poured in as the release date neared? I knew this was a game I had to experience because like many others, I loved Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. However, I was unable to start it until this past March. As a result, I saw Fallout 3 win a number of Game of the Year awards before I even started it. Now that I actually have had a chance to try it out (approximately twenty hours of it), I have a big problem:

I cannot bring myself to continue.

It’s the depravity of the human condition, the loneliness of the Wasteland, and the great sorrow that permeates the landscape. They haunt me. The discovery of a woman resorting to prostitution in order to survive the harsh world was shocking; misery and depression seeped from her. I remember the elderly woman who lost her violin and the loving tones with which she referred to it. She needed that reminder of a happy past; moreover, she just needed hope.

The Wasteland intimidates me. It bombards me with dull tones of greens, grays, and browns. There are times when I traverse the landscape and go twenty, thirty, even forty seconds without encountering anyone, friend or foe. That short amount of time seems like nothing in the real world, but in a video game, going that long without doing anything is a near-eternity. Unless the in-game radio is turned on, there is no soundtrack to keep me company. Fallout 3 is by no means a beautiful game, at least not in the way Oblivion is beautiful. When there are no enemies to fight or strangers to meet, I am forced to observe the fallen metropolis. Some critics leveled a similar charge (technologically stunning, but not aesthetically beautiful) at Killzone 2, as well as inFamous. Both depict fallen societies caught in the midst of conflict and disaster. However, both provide a great deal of action and activity to keep a player continuously engaged. Lulls do not exist in those titles, but Fallout 3 forces me to accept its bleak loneliness.

However, nothing in the game is as disconcerting as the victims of the wastelands. After escaping from the vault, I discovered a skeleton sitting on what used to be a boat dock. It sat there, facing the sunset, with a bottle on one side and a teddy bear on the other, and the thought hit me: this person died watching the sunset, attempting to find comfort in a childhood security and the bottom of a bottle. The image of that person sitting on the dock, probably knowing they were about to die, was so unsettling that I put down the controller and just stared at the screen for a solid two or three minutes. There was also the couple in the house. I do not remember which house it was, but I cannot forget the image of the two of them lying there together, one skeleton snuggled up hopelessly against the back of the other. Again, the realization: these two died in each other’s arms. If only everyone was fortunate enough to leave this world in that fashion.

Fallout 3 is not an Oscar worthy film or Nobel Prize winning novel; it is just a game. Because of the status that video games hold in society, it is ridiculous to think it could affect a person in these ways. However, it does affect me, and because of that, I know I must finish Bethesda’s latest masterpiece. I have only played a fraction of the game, not even touching the main storyline, and already I have found everything described above. It is a remarkable example of how far gaming has come in my lifetime, and a great encouragement to what the future of gaming holds, especially in the hands of true artists such as those at Bethesda. I purchased Fallout 3 to play one of the most anticipated titles of 2008; instead, I received one of the most engaging, gripping, emotional episodes of gaming I have ever come across. Never before have I experienced such a deep emotional resonance from a video game.

I believe that video games, because of their interactive nature, have the potential to grasp their audience on a far deeper level than either movies or music. The philosophical ideas presented in BioShock, as well as the cinematic presentation and production value of Mass Effect, have only furthered this notion. Hollywood is beginning to look more seriously to the gaming industry for ideas and intellectual properties, with film adaptations of Gears of War, BioShock, and even Halo at one point, in production. How far can gaming go? Can it provide a viable medium for commentary on society? Activision’s recent dropping of Six Days in Fallujah- a first person shooter based on the battle of the same name from the Iraq War- seems to point to “no,” but if the level of quality in Fallout 3 is what we as a gaming community have to look forward to, then the future is bright indeed.

Now, if only I could find more stimpaks…

Wow. My apologies for not posting anything in a while. I just moved to a new place last weekend, and as anyone who has done that can tell you, it consumes your life. I haven't had any time to write, but I haven't forgotten about RMG. My new place will allow me a greater freedom to not only write, but also research and play a greater variety of games.

It may be another week or so before I get a legitimate piece up on the website, but rest assured that when that time finally comes, there will be a DELUGE of material.

Cheers, to all; I leave you with this picture I found on Kotaku of one person's insane collection of PS2 games.

IGN: Contrarian Corner: Infamous

This is one of the best articles on inFamous I have found to date. My sincere thanks to Michael Thomsen over at IGN for such an incredible in-depth analysis.

This is the kind of material I really wish IGN would publish more often. At the time inFamous was released, I wondered if the initial review was somewhat tainted by all of the preview time the reviewer received before the game's release date. Don't get me wrong, inFamous is a really good game, but I haven't given any serious time to it since I finished it; that was three weeks ago. When I don't go back to a game after I finish it, it clues me in to the fact said game may not be as good as I thought it was when in the middle of it.

Posting an opposing viewpoint to reviews is not done often enough at IGN. I don't know if that's a result of not devoting two writers to the same title when the possibility exists both will have the same opinion, or if it is another reason altogether, but IGN needs to provide a second opinion on major titles. Game Informer does it, and it's something I appreciate. When I see two seperate people agree agree on the quality of a game, it emboldens me to play/purchase that game.

I'll stop blathering now; read this article:

IGN: Contrarian Corner: Infamous

The Big D likes Halo 3

So Jerry Jones has been building a new stadium for the Cowboys down in the Big D. The place is huge: capable of holding up to 100,00 for Super Bowls, somehting like 2,000 toilets, and the largest screen capable of producing a 1080p image in the world.

And what did they do to test the big screen out?

Play Halo 3.

Scribblenauts Blows My Mind

For the longest time now, I thought I would never purchase a portable platform such as the PSP or the DS. I never saw the need for it. Why play on a cramped little device and squint my eyes to see the 2.5 inch screen when I can hold an incredibly comfortable controller in my hands and watch my progress on a gorgeous 47 inch LCD TV? It's never made sense to me.

Until now.

Scribblenauts is a title coming for Nintendo's DS platform sometime at the end of the year. The basic premise is simple: you play as a character named Maxwell, and you must collect what are called "starites." Why do you need these starites? Sounds a little like Mario or something, right?

Who. CARES.

The shining point of this game is also incredibly simple, but amazingly deep: you type in the objects you need/want to appear on screen. Yes, you read that right. You type in words, and the objects they represent actually appear on the game screen.

This is why I love Nintendo: somehow, they continue to acquire these phenomenal IPs that are completely unique and fun. Playing a mini version of God of War or Resistance doesn't hold any appeal to me; playing a game where I can introduce literally anything I want into the game itself? Definitely.

In the video below, you'll see Scribblenauts creator Jeremiah Slaczka type in everything from an axe to God riding on a skateboard. I could go on about how incredible this looks, but I'll just let you watch the video below, courtesy of IGN.com.

Needless to say, I may just be asking for a DS for Christmas just so I can get this game.

1UP.com Reports Natal Will Be Microsoft's Next Console

So I'm sitting here watching Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, surfing the good ol' interwebs, when I stumble across this little article of Sam Kennedy's with 1UP.com. Apparently the rumor is that Microsoft is planning for Natal to be its next iteration of the Xbox platform; he even goes so far to say that Microsoft could be releasing a new Xbox console and packaging the Natal camera with it for Fall 2010. He elaborates:

"[W]e wouldn't be talking about the sort of hardware leap we've seen with Xbox (or most other) platforms in the past, and we're not talking about Microsoft ending one console cycle and starting another. We're talking about an evolution of the Xbox 360; similar hardware but upgraded, repackaged, and rebranded. It's actually not that unlike what Nintendo did with the Wii, where it essentially took the GameCube hardware, stuck in motion controls, and successfully relaunched it."

He concludes by stating that the timeframe Microsoft would be releasing this new system in could conceivably beat Nintendo's all-but-confirmed Wii HD to the market.

If this is true, Microsoft is signaling that they're coming after Nintendo. I've read speculation that some people are viewing the 360 as the winner of the hardcore console war with Sony; if Microsoft holds this view as well (and why wouldn't they?) this would seem to make sense.

It needs to be noted that this is all speculation (although Kennedy several time mentions "inside sources"). Even with that being said, it's very, very intriguing.

Update

Currently playing:
Fallout 3 (360)
-----------------------
After I finally posted my review of inFamous last Friday, I had hoped to get finished with Hakuna Matata and post my review of it by today. Unfortunately, that is obviously not the case. There are, however, several things I have been working on that have completely enveloped my time these past seven days; all of them I am very excited about.

(1) Gamers With Jobs writing call- If you read this blog, you can probably tell that I would love to be a gaming journalist; it's something I am passionate and very knowledgeable about. One of the sites I follow regularly is called Gamers With Jobs, and they recently put out a call for a new writer or two. I'm sure there are hundreds of people submitting material, but I decided to take a shot at it anyway. The composition and editing of that piece has taken the majority of my time this work week.

(2) Five Top Games transcription- On my way back from Manchester, TN last Saturday, my three buddies and I had a discussion of what we each thought were the five best games ever created. It just so happened that I had my voice recorder on hand and got the whole conversation on tape... all 72 minutes of it. Needless to say, it's a long and arduous process transcribing all of it, but its something that I really enjoyed and think will be a great contribution to the site.

(3) New Mac!! Yes, I bought my MacBook a week ago today, and it's been a blast getting to know it. Part of the iLife software package that comes with it is a web publishing program called iWeb. It fascinated me greatly, and after fiddling around with it for some time, I decided to make a serious effort in upgrading the site. Blogger has been a great place to start out, but I grow bored of this bland layout and have been unable to find any templates that satsify me. Concordingly, I have been slowly (but surely) creating a new layout that is more vibrant and exciting, one that recalls the excitement of video games. No, it won't be an IGN or 1up.com, but it will be a significant improvement over what I have now.

That covers all that is going on for the time being. No new content as of right now, but hopefully that will change by the end of next week. If my piece doesn't make it in the writers' call, I will definitely post it here.

It's one I've poured a lot of time into, and am incredibly proud of it.

Till then, have a good and safe weekend!

E3: Sony Keynote Thoughts

I'm going to be totally honest here: after taking a day to mull over Sony's keynote presentation, and re-watching the broadcast of it, I can't decide if Sony had the Ace up their sleeve or not.

As expected, they formally announced the leaked-long-ago PSP Go, the next iteration of their Playstation Portable platform. The PSP Go sticks out because of its download-only feature; Sony removed the UMD drive, so players will have to buy PSP Go games online and download them straight to the platform's hard drive, which tops out at 16GB. Along with the announcement of the PSP Go was announced Gran Turismo PSP, Resident Eveil Portable, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, which Hideo Kojima stated is a true sequel to Metal Gear Solid 3.

I was a little surprised to see the Go priced at 249.99 USD; a Wii can be brought for the same price! Toss in the three games for the Go mentioned above and you'll be topping 300.00 USD. Sony said that they see the Go as being the upper end of the PSP line, with the PSP-3000 catering towards the lower income teen end of the line. Even with that being the case, the high price-point of the Go seems somewhat prohibitive for it to have a decent run at success on the market.

On the software side, Sony definitely nailed it, displaying demos of Uncharted 2, Assassin's Creed 2, MAG (Massive Action Game), and Mod Nation Racers, to name a few. MNR is the next game in Sony's "Play.Create.Share" line, as it offers palyers the ability to create their own tracks from scratch and share them with the online community. Also announced was Sony's placing fifty PSOne titles to download on the Playstation Network, including Final Fantasy VII; some have even spotted clues in the PSN that Metal Gear Solid will see a release date as a downloadable title sometime in the next few months.

Also announced were Agent, a new IP (intellectual property) from Grand Theft Auto creator Rockstar North, and Final Fantasy XIV, a MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) which was announced as being exclusive to the PS3 for consoles (which would imply that will make its way to PC). However, Square Enix later stated that it was exploring "all options at [the] time," hinting at the possibility that XIV could make its way to the 360 as well.

However, the top software titles shown at Sony's keynote were Team ICO's The Last Guardian, Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo 5, Final Fantasy XIII and Sony Santa Monica's God of War III. All these titles received a warm reception from the audience, and it was good for Sony to reveal more of three of their biggest franchises (GT, God of War, and FF). The Last Guardian, in particular, looked absolutely gorgeous. The trailer alone was almost enough to make me tear up. To say that Team ICO is the master of creating an emotional connection between gamer and game is an understatement, and I'm sure The Last Guardian will be no different.

What truly intrigued me, though, was the reveal of Sony's motion controller. Basically, it is two handheld wands, each the size of a microphone, with a glowing, color-changing sphere at the end. Based on the demo shown during the keynote, it appears to create a true 1:1 translation of motion control, as well as providing at least one different input (an analog trigger). The wands work in conjunction with the Playstation Eye.

What's interesting here is that Sony might just have created a motion device that could cater to the core gamer. Nintendo has yet to do it because they simply do not have the hardware (MotionPlus could change that) or the hardware (there really only seems to be two or three titles on the horizon that could alter that issue). For the reasons I listed in my previous entry, I question whether or not Microsoft's Natal could do it as well. For a short summary, I wrote that core franchises such as Halo and Gears of War have so many control commands (shooting, reloading, walking, running, ducking, aiming, jumping) that I doubted whether developers would be able to create that kind of hardcore gaming experience (aside from the almost-guaranteed casual audience success) that will appeal to core gamers with Natal's motion sensing capabilities. Some games just need a manual input (buttons and triggers). However, just as I wrote in my previous piece, it truly will depend on the software that hits the market at the same time as Sony's motion controller and whether or not their team of first-oarty developers embrace it as well.

Just as surprising as some of the announcements Sony made in their keynote were the announcements that didn't come. A price drop was not announced for the PS3, much to chagrin of many gamers. 399.99 USD is still to high a price point to remain viable and competitive. Many thought the answer to it might be the rumored PS3 Slim (images of this leaked approximately three or four weeks ago). However, no mention of the Slim was made either. I anticipate Sony making an announcement around September or October for a price drop. As for the Slim, only Sony knows if that's real or not.

The more I consider it, I don't think Sony bombed as I initially thought they had. Even with that being said, I do not feel it is an exaggeration to say they still have a good deal of ground to make up on Microsoft.

More E3 Thoughts, Part II: Project Natal

It seems to me that there are still too many unanswered questions to be able to judge Natal a complete success capable of revolutionizing the industry, or a joke that will fall by the wayside. Personally, I have major concerns about it. What games will utilize the technology? Will Natal work with Microsoft's "core" franchises, such as Halo 3 or Gears of War? How can these "hardcore" games make the transition to full motion control? Think about it. I'm pretty sure that the majority of players will not want to run in place for two hours at a time to get through a couple of Halo's campaign levels. With that being said, how else would a player get Master Chief to move forward? How would a player be able to look to the left or right in-game without having to take their eyes off the screen to actually look left or right?! What about jumping? I specifically remember several tips the salesperson gave me in order to make sure my 360 had as little a chance as possible of showing the three red lights of death, and one of them was to always keep the 360 off the floor. The reasoning behind this was that the tray in the system was incredibly delicate and finely balanced; any sudden movement could throw the disc out of the tray and into the laser eye, thereby scratching the eye and ruining the machine. I'm not saying this will definitely happen, but if a game comes along for Natal that at some point would require more than one person to jump at the same time, there's a potential problem.

Also, major developers might not really understand how to properly create enticing games for it. We've seen it happen with the Wii. It's been out for over two years and decent games that make a worthwhile utilization with its motion controls are just now starting to pop up. If that's the case, that would create a scenario where Natal starts to take off right around the time the next Xbox is coming out. Then, developers will be trying to learn how to work with a new system as well as new technology (Natal), and that just seems a massive headache waiting in the wings.

In addition, Microsoft has a history of releasing a product before it's fully ready for the public; examples include Windows Vista and the 360 itself. Both did not receive an appropriate amount of quality assurance testing and as a result neither received a warm welcome into the marketplace (although the 360 fared considerably better than Vista) Both had horrendous customer support issues. Microsoft lost over $1 billion on repairs for the 360's three red lights error alone. Will the Natal be capable of fending for itself when it's released into the wild of the consumer base?

Microsoft might very well capture the casual audience it has pursued for so long, but will this audience be a repeat customer? It's all about the software support that comes out with this peripheral. Third-party developers have had a difficult time creating a steady revenue stream from Wii products. Why? Well, accordingly to Doug Creutz of Cowen & Company, "...Nintendo is the dominant publisher on the Wii with over one-third of software market share on its platform. Guitar Hero and Rock Band account for one-sixth of sales. So the addressable market for third-party Wii titles is only about half of what the installed base would imply." First-party support has been the driving force in sales on the Wii; can Microsoft do a better job? It seems that the public's fascination and exuberance over the Wii is starting to subside, and it will be interesting to see if Nintendo can continue to remain the industry leader over the next couple of years.

All of the above is relevant because it's not difficult to understand that Microsoft is aiming straight for Nintendo's Golden Goose (the "casual" gaming audience) with this move. They want to capture those who have yet purchase a 360 or PS3 because, as Steven Spielberg termed it during Microsoft's keynote presentation, "...the majority of people are just too intimidated to pick up a game controller." With that in mind, if they accomplish exactly that, will the casual audience become a returning consumer for Microsoft? Or will it simply be similar to the Wii, where a vast number of people, both casual and hardcore gamers alike, purchase the product out of sheer excitement and novelty, only to then find a severe shortage of quality software for it? For the months of March and April, the Playstation 3 actually outsold the Wii in Japan (gaming trends in Japan are usually a precursor to upcoming trends elsewhere in the world). The appeal of this casual machine wore down over those two months (to be fair, however, the Wii regained its place atop the mountain in May). It will take more than just three or four games to make Natal a true, long-term game-changer for the industry. Yes, it will undoubtedly sell such numbers as to make Micorsoft's executives wet their pants, but will it still be a mainstay in ten years if it takes off like so many think it will?

That's the real question. No one is denying it will be a hit. Whether it can remain long enough to earn its place among historic gaming innovations, though, lies in the midst of uncertainty.

To sum up, lots and LOTS of questions for me. Natal's success and viability, in my opinion, will depend heavily on if (1) Microsoft actually insures it is ready for public distribution, and (2) what software will be released for it within its first eighteen months.

Let the experiment begin.

More E3 Thoughts, Part I: Microsoft's Keynote

To put it concisely, Microsoft knocked their E3 keynote presentation out of the park. Not only did they provide updates on titles that the public already knew about, such as Mass Effect 2, Rock Band: The Beatles Edition, Modern Warfare 2, Halo: ODST, and Alan Wake., they also revealed previously unannounced titles such as Crackdown 2, Halo: Reach, and Metal Gear Solid: Rising.

With the software portion covered, they turned towards new features for the Xbox Live online service. In addition to movies now capable of streaming at 1080p resolution, Microsoft announced an integration of Xbox Live with the ultra-popular social sites Facebook and Twitter. Basically, players will now be able to write "tweets" straight from their console, as well as connect with all of their friends on Facebook. This portion of the Microsoft's keynote seems to have flown under the radar quite a bit, but it seems to me that it is a significant step towards the goal that Microsoft laid out when they introduced the 360: make their console not only for gaming, but also a hub of entertainment and social interactivity. When these updates hit XBL in the fall, players will now be able to put names to the gamertags they have never met on their friend lists, and then put those faces to names. They'll be able to see who among their Facebook friends are active XBL users. It is an incredibly horizon-broadening melding of three monster services that, in my opinion, will absolutely take off when it goes live.

Despite all of the above, the announcement that really stole the show was, of course, Project Natal (nuh-TALL). For those who haven't heard about this potentially ground-breaking technology, here goes: Natal is a motion-sensing camera that connects to the Xbox 360 (it reportedly will be compatible with all versions of the console released to date) and sits in front of the TV. It is capable of sensing any motion you make and converting that into actual controls for a racing game. So, for example, you hold your hands in front of you as if gripping a steering wheel and the game will sense that; there is no controller whatsoever. You drive the car in the game just as you would in real life, except there's no wheel you're holding on to.

Additionally, Natal is capable of facial recognition. One feature showcased during its unveiling at E3 was the ability to automatically sign in a player to their profile/gamertag simply by the player walking in front of the television. It is also capable of voice recognition. You can flip through your Netflix cue simply by moving your hand to one side or the other and when you find a film to watch, you say, "Play movie," and Natal will do so.

In other words, this sounds pretty amazing.

Right?

E3, Day Two: Nintendo & Sony attempt to remind everyone they are present at E3 also.

To be blunt: Nintendo underwhelmed and baffled, and Sony just flat-out fell flat on its face when compared to its main competitor, Microsoft. Neither company's keynote today had anywhere near the impact that Microsoft did yesterday, and Sony had nowhere near the Ace that they needed to one-up Microsoft.

Here's a quick recap of the highlights from what each company revealed during their presentations today:

Nintendo
-Super Mario Bros. Wii: Basically seems to be a re-imagining of the first Super Mario Bros. for the original Nintendo Entertainment System, but more focused on multiplayer and competitive play. Up to four players can traverse through the familiar levels and fight for coins and various power-ups found throughout the levels. Played with the Wiimote turned on its side like a classic Nintendo controller.

-Wii Fit Plus announced: From what I could gather, basically a sequel to Wii Fit, with more games than the original. It will come in a bundle with the Balance Board or on its own as a game, and will be available in the fall.

-Wii Motion Plus: It wasn't really so much revealed as demonstrated at the keynote. Basically all you need to know is that it will come with Wii Sports Resort (the sequel to the monumental best-seller Wii Sports) and Red Steel 2, and several upcoming sports games will be compatible with it along with Red Steel 2 (Ubisoft), which will only be playable if you have MotionPlus.

-DS/DSi: Several titles were announced for Nintendo's hugely-successful portable platform, including Golden Sun DS, COP: The Recruit (another Ubisoft title), and Warioware:DIY (a platformer with LittleBigPlanet-esque level-creation toolset). Also, the DSi will soon be getting the ability to upload images straight to Facebook. Another platform integrating itself with the mega-social network. Interesting.

-Wii Vitality Sensor: This was probably the most head-scratching part of the show. They spent at least five minutes building this thing up, and it turns to just be a bio-rhythm clip you attach on your finger, and that plugs into the bottom of the Wiimote. Looks almost pointless, especially when they offered no details on when it would be released, or what games would use it.

-Two major titles announced: Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M were shown for the first time. Other M was especially a shock considering that the entire Metroid Prime trilogy is getting boxed together and shipped for the price of one game this fall. Both look really good (again, especially Other M); I'll try to get links up to both of the videos later on.

Sony
-Updates to PSN: Over fifty new PSX titles are coming to the download service, the most notable being Final Fantasy VII.

-PSP Go officially unveiled: It appears a little larger than the iPhone, has no UMD drive, and will integrate with the PSN to download games. Comes in 16GB and will run 249.99 USD at retail. Its full front face is the screen, which slides up to reveal a d-pad, joystick, and facebuttons beneath. Also announced were two new PSP titles, Gran Turismo PSP, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (although rumors of both for the PSP had surfaced before E3).

-Playstation Motion Controller unveiled: From descriptions I've read, it is comprised of two handheld devices, each approximately the size of a small microphone, with what look like colored balls atop each one. Basically the way that it works is that the Playstation EyeToy tracks the colored ball movement, and that produces, from all accounts I've seen, a very accurate 1:1 movement translation. Available sometime Spring 2010.

-Final Fantasy news: Big surprise here. Final Fantasy XIV was announced, exclusively for the PS3 and PC. It appears to be a MMORPG. An extended trailer dubbed in English of Final Fantasy XIII was also shown.

-Major titles exhibited: Team ICO's latest, now officially entitled "The Last Guardian," was shown, as well as Gran Turismo 5 (which one account described as the most realistic game they had ever seen), and God of War III. "Last Guardian" and "Gran Turismo 5" have no definitive releases date, and God of War III will hit shelves March 2010.
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FYI, I'll write a couple of posts in the next day or so discussing my thoughts on the various happenings from the first two days of E3.

E3, Day One: Microsoft Comes Out With Guns Blazing

Currently playing:
inFamous (PS3), Hakuna Matata (PS3)
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Well it's official: Metal Gear Solid is coming to Bill's Big Green Machine. While I'm sure it is not what many gamers were hoping for (MGS4 for the 360), it is still a promising and major announcement. Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima unveiled his latest project as "Metal Gear Solid: Rising," and while he didn't say it was an exclusive for the Xbox (possibly implying it will be a multiplatform title) it is still a major blow to Sony. Here's why.

Metal Gear Solid have been to Sony what the Legend of Zelda and Metroid series have been to Nintendo. They've been there for Sony since the beginning. They helped catapult the first Playstation to the level of success that it and its successors have today. Imagine if Microsoft announced the next Zelda or Metroid game would be coming to the 360. That's what we're talking about here.

(Note: Just to clarify, I'm very much aware of the fact that both of those games are first party games for Nintendo and that, as such, Nintendo would never, EVER, license them to a rival. That being said, the impact those franchises have had for Nintendo is comparable to the impact Sony has had from the Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy franchises.)

It's very understandable that Konami would make this move. Sony has remained incredibly bullish about keeping the PS3 at its current price point of 399.99 USD, and the only way that a developer can put pressure on a company like Sony is to do exactly what Kojima and Co. have done: take the business elsewhere. The Playstation 3 has approximately 25% less hardware on the market as Microsoft does, and it makes financial sense for Konami to take its biggest franchise to the platform that has the most consumers, yet also possesses the technology to remain true to their vision. Microsoft and the 360 fit both criteria.

In addition, exclusive franchises are what tend to drive hardware sales in this industry. Final Fantasy and Metal Gear Solid are as big as they come. These two each have as rabid a fan base as you could hope for, and any fan that hadn't bought a PS3 up to now would, in all likelihood, strongly consider going that route if the next installments of each were announced exclusively for the PS3. Now that isn't the case, and hardware sales for the PS3 will very likely suffer for it, especially as long as Sony holds out on a price cut for its big black behemoth.

At E3 2008, when Square Enix announced Final Fantasy XIII would arrive on the Xbox 360. Now, a year later, Microsoft has scored what could possibly be considered a major coup against Sony. In a span of twelve months, Sony lost exclusivity rights to the next installments of its two biggest franchises, and there's no reason to think it would go back to the way it was before.

Where do they (Sony) go from here? Basically, they had better have the absolute best showing of any developer as well as the Big Three this week. Personally, I don't think that an announcement of a PS3 Slim or a major price cut (read: $100) for the PS3 overall will do it.

Sony had better have the Ace of all aces up their collective sleeve. If not, I cannot help but wonder if this will mark the beginning of the end of Sony's reign atop the gaming mountain.

Gaming Cheap Ideas

Currently playing:
inFamous (PS3), Hakuna Matata (PS3)
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Gaming is an expensive hobby, especially if you are a serious, or "core" gamer. Think about it. Games cost $60. If you want to play with a friend, you're going to need another controller (which will run you about $50-$60 depending on the system). Just to gain the ability to play the games, a person has to plunk down anywhere from $250 to $450 (again, depending on the system). This part gets especially pricey if you plan on getting multiple consoles.

As far as the games go, you'll definitely be interested in purchasing the exclusives "must-have" titles for whichever system you chose. If you're a Microsofty, Halo 3, Gears of War, Mass Effect, Fable II, and Left 4 Dead are the ones you'll gun for. Sony fan boys will eye Metal Gear Solid 4, Resistance, LittleBigPlanet, Killzone 2, and inFamous; Wii-fers will gun for Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Wii Fit, and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. That doesn't even touch major third-party, mulit-platform titles such as Call of Duty 4, COD: World at War, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, Fallout 3, Resident Evil 5, Dead Space, and either the Rock Band/Guitar Hero series (keep in mind the vast majority of the aforementioned games will typically run anywhere from $50-$60, depending on the system and where you purchase them).

Have I even mentioned portable systems, and their completely seperate games?

I think you see my point.

This isn't a drop in the bucket. Like most other hobbies, if you're going to do it, you need to do it right, and that requires something of a financial committment. In that case, it's important to be financially responsible. Hobbies are good and provide another aspect of life to round us out as individuals, but they should not dominate our time and finances.

What are we to do, then, with this money-gulping activity? What if you're in a tight place money-wise because of the recession? What if you don't have a job? What if you're dependent on others (such as a parent/guardian) for income (read: allownacee). I've come up with some ideas to help out the cash-strapped gamer in these tough economic times, and I hope they are of some use to you, whatever way that may be. Enjoy.

"Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes"
Didn't catch that reference? RENT your games! If you're not one of those gamers who get a perverse pleasure from securing all the gamerscore points/trophies a game has to offer, you are, in all likelihood, going to play through the game once, maybe twice. After that, you probably won't touch it again for 6 months to a year, if at all. Why not rent the game, play through it, then return it? If you rent it from your local Blockbuster or Hollywood Video, it will run you about $8.50 for five days and nights. If you keep it a total of two weeks, which is enough time to finish any given game, you'll spend $17.00. That's almost a quarter of what you would spend if you bought it.

Pull a Costanza
You might ask me then, "What if I like the game? Then I've paid the rental fee AND the purchase price!" Not if you go with a used copy of the game. Find your local GameStop/EB Games, and purchase that bad boy for about $6 to as much as $25 off. Stores like these assure you that the copy is playable and in good shape, and some even offer a year of insurance in case something goes wrong for only two or three dollars. You can also seek out your local used game store that isn't a member of the giant GS/EB conglomerate. Two I know of here in Middle Tennessee are The Great Escape in Nashville and Geeks, Etc. in Tullahoma.

"You're My Boy, Blue!!!"
Yes, just like Old Man Blue in Old School, the oldies CAN be goodies. Break out that old-school system you have, such as a Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, or even a Sega Genesis. Did you miss any games for the last console generation? I did. I haven't played ICO, Shadows of the Colossus, Okami, or Metal Gear Solid 2 or 3 for the PS2. I also never played any of the Mega Man X games, so I purchased the collection of all seven for the PS2. You can buy any of these for as little $19.99, which is a steal in terms of gaming. What if you don't have any of the old systems? Well, you could probably find the most recent ones such as the PS2 or the original Xbox at a Gamestop, but anything older than that will be a struggle, especially if you don't have a local used game store other than GS/EB. If that's the case...

"Say Hello To My [New] Little Friend!"
Let me introduce you to eBay. I have found so many great deals on eBay, it's not even funny; two brand new copies of Killzone 2: $40.99; a Sega Genesis system with controller and all hookups: $30.00; a Dreamcast with all hookups and two controllers: $60.00; Playstation 3 DualShock 3 controller: $43.00. My advice would be to (1) always purchase from sellers who have a positive feedback rating of at least 150-200. It's even better if they have the Power Seller stamp. (2) Always, ALWAYS ask questions. Ask them if it's still in the factory wrap, even if it's listed as "new." Ask if it's from a smoke-free household. Ask them how much time you have to pay for the item if you win it (you don't want to win it while you're unavailable, not be able to pay for it, and then find out you had to immediately pay for it). Ask if it's NTSC format, which is the format for North America; PAL format won't work in a Region 1/NTSC console.

Now, all of that might seem like a good amount of money, but think about it. You can probably get three N64 games or two Dreamcast games for the price of one current-gen game. That's double or triple the time return on your investment, and that's what we're going for here.

Flash Games
Okay, I couldn't think of a creative comment for this one. Nevertheless, there are all KINDS of free games you can play online. Why do you think of I've posted reviews/little snippets about flash games the lasat few weeks? There are some great, creative, innovative, out-of-the-box IPs waiting for you to discover (go check out Today I Die, or Don't Look Back and you'll see what I mean). Don't think these games have much credibility? Think again. Meat Boy, a title I mentioned in a previous post, started as a free flash game, but is actually coming to WiiWare later in the year.


Whatever your particular case may be, there are tons of ways to game on the cheap. If you have other tips/suggestions, please share them in the comments section below.

Review: Pocket Tanks

One of the things I am passionate about is finding games that appeal to a large number of people. I am not necessarily referring to casual games such as Wii Sports or Boom Blox (although I am not excluding them, either); I am talking about games like Rock Band or Afrika (of which I intend to post a review within the next couple of weeks). These games are very accessible to new players but also have a depth to them not found in more casual games, which appeals to the more serious or "hardcore" player. Games like these a great amount of appeal to me because I enjoy playing games with other people. Don't misunderstand me, games such as Fallout 3 and Metal Gear Solid 4 are fantastic gaming experiences, but I believe games that provide solitary, isolated experiences like those two will only find a limited audience. However, a Rock Band or Wii Sports title can be picked up at any time, by nearly anybody. Games that are both deep and accessible are increasingly hard to come by. Pocket Tanks, however, is one of those games.

One of my favorite games from my high school years, Pocket Tanks is as simple a concept as they come: you have a tank, your opponent has a tank, and you take turns trying to blow each other up in order to score points. I remember wasting hours on this game back in school (yes, including college) whenever friends and I were tired of homework or just didn't want to pay attention in class.

Tanks is one of those games that anyone can play, and that's a major part of appeal. I taught my girlfriend how to play it one night last week and now every time we get together we always have at least a best-of-three match. In a small way, one could compare it to Texas Hold'Em: five minutes to learn, but months to master (no, I was not going to say a "lifetime").

The game starts by entering names and choosing difficulty of the computer, if you're playing by yourself. You then move to the "Weapon Shop:"
From here, you and your opponent each choose ten weapons based on the random selection the computer provides you. All of these weapons are very unique, and all have their various strengths and weaknesses. They range anywhere from a single shot (which does a moderate 40 points of damage with a direct hit) to a sniper rifle shot, which is worth 100 points on a direct hit, although it has no splash damage and can be be notoriously difficult to aim. Other weapons include a Scatter Shot, which sends up five different shots from the spot where it lands; a weapon called the Pineapple, which looks like a giant cannonball on approach, but detonates into approximately 15-20 different shots when it nears you;a Dirtball, which, instead of putting damage on your opponent, erupts into a giant mound of earth that envelops its target;
and my personal favorite, the Hail Storm, which gushes into tons of tiny water balls that, given proper placement, can put upwards of 125-150 points of damage.

When the game starts, it provides you with a random layout of land. It can be a relatively flat plain, two hills with a valley between the two tanks, or a cliff-like format with one tank on a significantly higher plane than the other. Although it may not seem it at first, the layout actually can play a large role. If the wind is turned on (under the "Options" menu at the main screen), it will drastically affect aiming and power. In fact, under the options menu, you can change the size of the explosion, the randomness of the wind, the wind speed, even select a partiuclar land layout you favor (or randomize that as well).

This is where the game deepens. Developer Blitwise provides so many ways to customize the game that you can literally play it for hours and never play the same game twice. This is especially true if you purchase the Deluxe or Collector's Edition of the game, which come packed with 60 weapons or 190 weapons, respectively. All these armaments provide for endless combinations and perferences. Want to play defense? Grab a few Dirt Slingers or Dirtballs to force your opponent to blow themselves out of the earth and forfeit points. Feeling daring? Draft a few hail storms, napalms, or fission bombs, get your opponent in a hole, then fling those bad boys at 'em. It takes a few turn to set it up, but when you hit, it usually nets you 100+ points. High wind in the game? Pick imprecise weapons (like the Spider, Zapper, or Cruiser) that hit a large area of land to insure points when they will be hard to come by.

Pocket Tanks is an incredibly easy game to learn, but that does not mean it is not fun. I constantly find myself opening it up and then realizing I've been playing it for two hours. It never gets old.

And isn't that what we want from games anyway?

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Grade: 9/10
Pocket Tanks is rated "E," and is for the PC & Mac. It can be downloaded at the following links:
Shareware version
Deluxe Edition
Collector's Edition

Stupid Interwebs...

Currently playing:
Fallout 3 (360), Killzone 2 (PS3)
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...and stupid Microsoft; I despise Windows. As soon as I get a TV stand for my new gaming setup, a Macbook will be next on my to-purchase list. Basically what happened is something like ten to fifteen viruses hopped onto my family's computer (which is where I do the majority of my writing)... the parents apparently didn't have great anti-virus protection on their PC. So, I brought it into work and my IT guys here are working on it. God bless 'em, those two are GREAT.

Anyway, that's why I haven't been able to post anything on here the last couple of weeks. I hope to get a couple of pieces up in the next ten days or so on Microsoft rumors for E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) as well as a piece arguing why 2009 might be Sony's year.

In the mean time, check out these games I have found over the last few days:

Meat Boy: great platforming game...controls are incredibly loose and will really test your timing and reaction.
Cursor*10: very unique idea for a game. Just start playing it and you'll get the hang of it.
Today I Die: Literally found this one about an hour ago, but I'm already incredibly impressed by it. This one will stretch what the conventional player considers to be a "game," but it promotes exploration, experimentation, as well as conventional aspects of gameplay. This game is almost like a love letter at times.

Review: Flower (PSN)

Every now and then a game comes along that is truly different from anything that came before it, completely unique in its design and execution; thatgamecompany's flower is one of those games. It abandons many common conventions of the modern day game such as dying, checkpoints, boss battles, and even combat itself; instead, it embraces themes of rebirth, beauty, and hope. In fact, there is not really a playable "character," so to speak... the main character of this game is the wind.

The game controls are very unique for the PS3. Instead of navigating through the world with the Dualshock's joysticks or directional pad (D-pad), movement is dictated by merely tilting the controller in the desired direction; pressing any button on the controller increases the speed with which the wind coasts over the fields. Thatgamecompany did a wonderful job utilizing the Sixaxis technology; the relay between the controller's movements and its subsequent onscreen execution is nearly simultaneous. It really is a game that anyone can pick up, play, and immediately get the hang of it.

This is aided by the unconventional aspects of flower. The goal is not to defeat an alien race or terrorist organization. It is simply to course through the world, awakening sleeping flowers and reinvigorating the beauty and well-being of nature. There is no narrative; at least, not in the form of words. Flower's story is told through simplistic visual vignettes before each stage (I will not spoil it for you, though). There is also no heads-up display to show how many lives are left or where to go. Thatgamecompany simply creates a vision so striking that one could mistake it at times for a photograph.

If there are any complaints to make about this game, it is that it is too short. After finishing it, I found myself wishing I had twenty more levels I could explore and enjoy. It is also what I would term a "narrow" experience, meaning that thatgamecompany created a very specific path for the player to travel. Oftentimes the player is presented with an area where they can open certain groups of flowers in whatever order they wish, but it is not possible to explore or move on to other areas until the current one is completed. However, that is not necessarily a critique, but more an observation.

Thatgamecompany's flower, to quote a friend of mine, "is a love letter to gamers," meaning that thatgamecompany cared enough about the industry to give it a game such as flower. It is an incredibly romantic game; not in the traditional sense, but in that it is engrossing, hypnotizing, and simply gorgeous. Every individual blade of grass is animated; a pluck of strings or a smattering of bells dances across the ear when the wind blows a flower open. Some might decry the game as too short (which it is), repetitive (while enough small wrinkles are thrown in to maintain interest and enthrall the player, the core dynamic of play overall does not change), or too structured, but these all miss the purpose of the game. Flower is simply an exercise in appreciating beauty for beauty's sake; it is a truly beautiful and unique display of what the medium can achieve. In short, while it falls short in one or two areas, it is still a must play game for any self-proclaimed gamer.

Grade: 9 out of 10.

Flower is rated "E" and is available to purchase on the Playstation® Network for $9.99.

A note regarding RMG's rating system, as well as the ESRB.

I struggled for several days over which rating system to implement in writing reviews of games, and the one I eventually settled on was a ten-point scale. To me, it is less complex than the system that IGN uses, which is also a ten-point scale, but allows for splitting hairs because of decimal uses. For example, IGN rated Killzone 2 as a 9.4 and Gears of War 2 as a 9.5. What difference between these two games possibly constitutes one as being one-tenth of a point superior to the other game?! It seems to me that it would be impossible to, over a long period of time, consistently rate games along the same guidelines.

1UP.com's rating system of a letter scale (from "A+" all the way to an "F") is closer to what I see as an efficient rating scale, but even theirs does not quite measure up for me. With each letter grade having a "+," "average," and "-" rating, that produces a total of 12 differing letter grades. When you tack on the "F," that makes it 13. If I told you a game was an 8 out of 13 (which is what 1UP's grade of "B" for the game Wheelman would translate to) what would you say?

"Dude, that's a weird number."

Bingo. A ten-point grading scale in my mind keeps it simple and relatable. I know it doesn't quite allow for differentiation between games that don't quite seem to be on the same level (for example, I would rate Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Madden NFL 09 as 8/10, but I feel that Madden is the superior game because of replayability factor, length, and overall depth of gameplay) but it provides an easy-classifiable status upon a game.

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10- A shining example of gaming at its absolute best .

9- An excellent game that must be bought. It has a shortcoming or two that prevent it from receiving a "10," but it does not detract from the overall experience.

8- A great game that definitely should be played, and possibly bought. It has some shortcomings that can be overlooked.

7- An enjoyable gaming experience, but there are better games out there. Rent this.

6- A game with definite flaws. Maybe rent it, or if possible, borrow it from a friend.

5- An average game. It does not bring anything new to the table and has several issues that detract from the overall experience.

4- Sub-par. You know plenty of games that are better than this. Why would you want to waste your time on this one?

3- Bad. How did the publisher get tricked into thinking this game was a good idea?

2- Miserable. You feel bad for the people in the credits because you know they are going to have their names associated with this piece of garbage for the rest of their lives.

1- Embarrassing. You want to hunt down the developer and hit them in the face for making this game. Burn it, and then burn those resulting ashes again.

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Also, here are the videogame ratings the Enteractive Software Rating Board provide, as well as examples of games that have recieved this rating. I provide this listing as a reference guide for parents and also because I will be including the ESRB rating of each game I review at the end of its review.

EC- Early Childhood
- Dora The Explorer: Journey to the Purple Planet (PS2, Gamecube); Wonder Pets! Save The
Animals! (DS)
E- Everyone
- Smash Cars (PS3); Summer Athletics 2009 (Wii)
E10+- Everyone (ages 10+)
- Real Heroes: Firefighter (Wii); LEGO Batman: The Videogame (multiple platforms)
T- Teen (13+)
- UFC 2009 Undisputed (360, PS3); Sam and Max Save the World (360); Uncharted (PS3)
M- Mature (17+)
- Killzone 2 (PS3); Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3); Halo 3 (360); Bioshock (360)
AO- Adults Only*
- Thrill Kill (PSX); Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2, XBox)

*According to the ESRB's website, only twenty three games have ever recieved an "AO" rating.

Guest Contributor Introduction: Captain Marvel

I mentioned in my first article here on RMG that my mission with this blog is to create "an everyman's destination for views on videogaming." How do I intend to do that?

BY INVITING EVERY MAN IN THE WORLD TO WRITE FOR ME.

*crickets*

Okay, so maybe that "every man in the world" part is a tad unreasonable. That being said, I aim to accomplish the goal of RMG in the following ways:
(1) By posting reviews of games not only for consoles (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii), but also for PCs, as well as flash games.
(2) By incorporating a diverse group of writers who have grown up playing games; a group that has played the great games as well as some horrible ones (I'm looking at you, Battletoads, you money-stealing prick) can recognize what works and what does not.
(3) By discussing relevant issues that confront the industry today, including (but not limited to): retailers failing to adhere to the rating system established by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board); videogames and addictive behavior; violence in videogames; and whether videogames can be classified as "art."
(4) And finally, I hope to insure this site will not be all intellectual discussions and views. We'll have some fun articles every now and then too.

This post would fall under number two. Captain Marvel is someone I would consider a great friend of mine, and we have had many hours-long conversations about the nature of games and the industry. So, without further adieu... world, meet Captain Marvel. CM, meet the world.

You two play nice.
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Who are you?
You may refer to me as Captain Marvel. Many ask, "Isn't there a Captain Marvel in both Marvel Comics AND DC Comics? Which one?" The answer is quite simple. YES.

What systems have you owned/do you own?
I've been gaming for about as long as I can remember. I played on the consoles of my friends for my early years, playing on the NES, Genesis, and the SNES. The first console of any kind that I owned was my grey brick of a Game Boy. I went on to own a N64, a PlayStation, a Dreamcast, a PS2, a Gamecube, a Game Boy Advance, a PSP, and currently a Wii, a Nintendo DS, and XBox 360.

What are your favorite genres?
I can be very honest in saying that there isn't a game genre out there that doesn't have at least a couple of games that I very much enjoy. If I had to say what genres are truly my favorite, I would have to say first-person shooters, action/adventure, and RPGs.

Least favorite genres?
Least favorite...I suppose I'd have to go with racing games, but even there I have some games I like to play.

Favorite Games?
My all-time favorite games can be hard to pick. For action/adventure games, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time wins hands down. FPS...eh...that's a tough one. I'll break that one down a little further. My favorite FPS for multiplayer/playing with friends co-op is definitely the Halo trilogy. For single player campaign...it's hard to beat Call of Duty 4. LOVE that game. When it comes to RPGs... ack! Hardest pick. A list, then. Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy...the one with Cecil, whichever one that is. Hard to keep up with them changing the numbers on us. Anyways, moving on down the list...Skies of Arcadia, Tales of Vesperia, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and...well, kinda a FPS/RPG, but anyway, Fallout 3.

So why do I love video games? I don't really know for sure; perhaps because of the chance to experience something that I can't in the real world. I can't defeat the King of Evil with the Master Sword here in Tennessee. In any case, I love this industry, and I aspire to work in it.

MISSION: Familiarize Readers With Self - Complete

Marvel out.

Flash Games & Don't Look Back

Currently playing:
Metal Gear Solid (PSX)
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Flash games have become so prevalent on the web that it is an aspect of the industry that really cannot (and should not) be ignored anymore. Flash games were the Wii of gaming before the Wii had even arrived: it brought people to gaming who otherwise would not seriously look into it on a console or the PC. It is, of course, free, which only adds to the positive aspect of FGs. What is encouraging, though, is that there are very talented developers who are starting to look at FGs as a very viable way to bring their gaming vision to life. They are not constrained by the deadlines of a major studio and they (in all likelihood) do not have to meet expectations of investors. In other words, they are only restrained creatively by the limitations they impose on themselves.

With that introduction, let me introduce you to Don't Look Back.

In college, I played a decent number of flash games online, because, let's face it, college students can't really afford to go and buy videogames all the time; on top of that, I was tired of all the titles I had for my PS2 at the time. I went to Miniclip.com a lot (man, the hours I wasted on Heli Attack 3), Addictinggames.com, and also frequented MSN (I swear on all that is good and right in this world: Hexic is like an addictive drug that's bad for you... you want to stop. You really, really do. You hate that freaking piece of trash at times... but you keep coming BACK). It's only been in the last couple of days that I've discovered Kongregate.com. Of the very few games I've played on that website, Don't Look Back is one of the most intriguing. I don't know if I can say it's the best, but it does a fantastic job of creating an engrossing atmosphere, and it even has a little surprise for you halfway through the game.

DLB takes a very minimalist approach, even more so than other flash games; seriously, go play HA3 and DLB and you'll understand what I mean. Even with this approach (the game only uses four colors. Yep, you read that correctly.... four colors), it's quite impressive to see what DLB's creator/developer, Terry Cavanagh, achieves. The game is only twenty to thirty minutes long and it definitely provides a challenge at times. The final boss you face can be ridiculous; I spent close to five minutes on him, but when you consider the overall length of the game, that translates to somewhere between 17% and 25% of the overall gameplay time, so that should give you an idea.

Developers like Cavanagh need encouragement to continue to do what they do. And the only way for people like you and me to do that is to go play. If you have a free half hour or so, go check out DLB. I think you'll enjoy the time you give it.

Happy gaming, friends.

-CptnMayhem

P.S.- You can check out an interview with Cavanagh here.

It Begins

Currently playing:
Metal Gear Solid (Playstation 1, or "PSX"), Uncharted (PS3), Rock Band 2 (360), flower (Playstation Network, or "PSN"), flOw (PSN), Killzone 2 (PS3)
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Welcome to Running Man Gaming! This has been something I've wanted to do for quite a while and am finally getting around to it. I figure if we're going to discuss one of my favorite hobbies/pastimes (gaming, duh), I should probably be a good host and tell you a little bit about my bad self.

Who the heck are you and why should I care?
My name is Tony and I currently live in Tennessee. I'm in my mid-20s and have been a gamer since I was about four or five years old. I remember being sick with the chicken pox at that age and Dad bringing home the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) bundle that came with a Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt cartridge and the old orange gun and having a blast with that system. The first game I actually got for that system (a Christmas gift) was Metroid. From that point on, I've been hooked.

I've wrestled bears and fought centaurs, so I figure whatever I have to say is pretty important.... wait, what?

What systems do you own/have you owned?
I currently own a Xbox 360 as well as a Playstation 3. I also own a Nintendo 64 and a Playstation 2 (the giant cinder-block sized first issue version). That PS2 died a couple of years ago, but I'm looking at getting another one so I can play several PS2 games I never got a chance to when I was still on that console (and the recent price cut down to $99.99 definitely helps that wish). I've owned the NES (died late 1990s), the Sega Genesis (sold it when I got my N64), and the punch-you-in-the-face painfully frustrating Sega 32X. That thing was a piece of CRAP.

What are your favorite genres?
First person shooters (FPS), adventure/action (Zelda and Metroid hold special places in my heart), and sports. I'm a self professed Madden addict, although I haven't played my Madden NFL 09 copy in several months. That's not because I don't like the game...I actually think it's the best installment in the franchise since Madden 2005. Rather, it's because I'm playing about three seperate games right now, and have a list of approximately ten different titles to play through. Working on my Titans franchise isn't exactly high on my list right now. I've also, thanks to Oblivion, become a fan of the role-playing genre (RPG).

Least favorite genres?
Fighting games, racing, real time strategy (RTS)

Favorite games?
Halo series, Madden franchise, Mega Man series (original, not X series), Sonic the Hedgehog (moment of silence to mourn his falling from grace, i.e. the one hundred thousand crappy games that have come out over the last ten years)

Why "Running Man Gaming?"
I'm a courier and in my spare time at work, I usually read a lot from my favorite gaming sites (see below). I figured that I could better spend that time by also writing about gaming myself. As a courier, I'm on the run (insert Pink Floyd Title of the same name here) more often than not, so that's the title I went with.

Where did your moniker (CptnMayhem) come from?
Old high school nickname. I think it was actually given to me more in jest than anything, but I liked it so much I use it for pretty much anything online nowadays.

Gaming sites to recommend to keep track of the industry?
IGN.com, GameInformer.com, & 1up.com are good sites to read reviews, previews, and general news of what's going on.

GamesIndustry.com, Edge-online.com, and Gamasutra are fantastic sites if you're interested in the actual workings of the gaming industry. These sites feature less material on the actual games (such as reviews and previews) and more on developments in the business that affect those games. These are for those who are looking to get serious in the industry.

What will you post on this blog?
Everything on here will somehow connect to gaming. Whether that be reviews, editorials, or features, I aim to post on here about once a week to start out, and then as I get used to it, hopefully several times a week (perhaps even daily at some point in the future).

I hope to grow this blog into an everyman's destination for views on videogaming. I might even solicit the assistance of some of my gaming friends to write articles for this blog to offer a wider perspective than my own; I don't want to alienate those whose gaming tastes differ from mine. I encourage anyone who may be interested in contributing to shoot me an email (cptmayhem@gmail.com).

And with that, I again welcome you to RMG.

-CptnMayhem