Coffee Talk Archives - Page 64 of 68

Coffee Talk #49: Favorite Games of 2009 #2 Civilization Revolution

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Danica Patrick making her NASCAR debut in California, Kelly Pavlik finally returning to boxing, or Bret “The Hitman” Hart signing a short-term deal with WWE, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

As I mentioned last week, I’ll be counting down my five favorite games of 2009 in this week’s Coffee Talk columns and I’d love for you to join me! Let me know what your favorite games of the year were in the comments section. Remember, this isn’t about what games you thought were “best”. I want to know what you had the most fun with in 2009.

Civ iPhone

#2 Civilization Revolution — I picked up this iPhone game as an impulse purchase when it was on sale for $2.99. It quickly became one of the best gaming values I’ve had in years. There’s nothing fancy or complex about Civilization Revolution — it offers classic Civ gameplay on your iPhone…which is more than enough for hundreds of hours of entertainment.

Whether I’m flying across the Pacific Ocean, dealing with jet lag in Yokohama, or simply can’t sleep at home, it’s so easy to pass the time with this game. The only problem is that it’s so addictive that it’s easy to lose track of time and miss important things. Ha! That said, I’m amazed that I’ve gotten hundreds of hours of gameplay for only three bucks! Civilization Revolution rules!!!

Coffee Talk #48: Favorite Games of 2009 #3 SmackDown vs. Raw 2010

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the Seattle Mariners making out like bandits in the big MLB trade, Boeing finally getting the 787 Dreamliner off the ground, or Freddie Roach calling out Roger Mayweather, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

As I mentioned last week, I’ll be counting down my five favorite games of 2009 in this week’s Coffee Talk columns and I’d love for you to join me! Let me know what your favorite games of the year were in the comments section. Remember, this isn’t about what games you thought were “best”. I want to know what you had the most fun with in 2009.

Smackdown vs Raw 2010 c

#3 WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 — I love videogames and I love WWE, so it’s no surprise that I love THQ’s WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 series. This year’s game was very special to me since it contained my first pieces of writing on that side of the business. The award-winning scripts of the Shawn Michaels and Mickie James storylines aside, it’s just a great game. In addition to the variety of matches and careers it offers, 2010 ups the ante on the creative side. WWE fans have been able to create wrestlers and moves in the past, but this year storylines can be created and content can be shared online. It’s cool stuff.

Sure, I joke about the game being nominated for the best videogame writing in the history of man, but I love playing it. Getting to beat up Randy Orton with dozens of WWE Superstars — whether they’re real or imagined or downloaded — never gets old.

Coffee Talk #47: Favorite Games of 2009 #4 Street Fighter IV

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Dennis Miller not getting over with the WWE crowd in Texas, the Google Nexus One, or the various MLB trade moves made yesterday, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Street Fighter IV

#4 Street Fighter IV — I lost a ton of quarters playing various versions of Street Fighter in high school and college. Like many players, I abandoned the series for modern games like Soul Calibur, Dead or Alive, and Tekken. Street Fighter IV was a triumphant return to glory for the series. The game mechanics had that classic SF feel, while the visuals were modern and fresh. The game is deep, but accessible to players of various skill levels. I remember playing the game with friends that are no longer gamers, but remember how to spam fireballs with Ken and Ryu.

SFIV is just a brilliant combination of old and new. That only downer is that the game also reminds me of my most frustrating moments as a gamer in 2009 — trying to beat Seth when my Xbox 360 would randomly generate hundreds of vertical bars! He’s a cheap bastard as it is. Trying to beat him when you can’t see the damn screen?!? Not so easy.

Coffee Talk #46: Favorite Games of 2009 #5 Pokemon Platinum

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, WWE giving Sheamus and Drew McIntyre championships, last Saturday’s fantastic day of boxing, or Accenture dropping Tiger Woods, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Pokemon Platinum 2

#5 Pokemon Platinum — Yes, I’m a Pokemon addict that has put more than 600 hours into Pokemon Pearl. As someone that loves breeding Pokemon for competitive battling, several of the additions in Pokemon Platinum were “must haves” for me. From move tutors that let you create more diverse combatants to challenging fight modes that test your mettle as a trainer, Pokemon Platinum has it all!

Of course Pokemon Platinum is rooted in the fantastic RPG gameplay that millions and millions of players have enjoyed for years. Weavile, I choose you!!!

Coffee Talk #45: Sanbox Games vs. Carrot-and-Stick Games

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Tiger Woods’ 18 holes (i.e. his mistresses), the return of Paulie “Little Mac” Malignaggi on Saturday, or Jerishow dropping the tag straps on Sunday, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

The Grand Theft Auto series took sandbox games to new heights. It inspired dozens of copycat games and made “open world” a requirement for several years. While I appreciate the liberating feeling gamers get from sandbox games, they don’t really do much for me. It’s awesome that you get to experiment and play freely, but that’s not what I’m used to and that’s not what I want.

Grand Theft Auto Gay Tony

2D platform games and Japanese role-playing games dazzled me in my formative gaming years. I developed an attachment to that old carrot-and-stick formula. I enjoyed linearity. I enjoyed being led around by a level or narrative, getting a reward every so often. NES, SNES, and Genesis games conditioned me to love this simple formula. Even though I enjoy making choices in games like Dragon Age: Origins, ultimately I want to stick with the same carrot-and-stick formula.

I know a lot of you love open-world titles, but I also know that some of you enjoy RPGs. Do you have a preference? Do you like playing in your virtual sandbox? Or do you prefer being lead around by a carrot and stick?

Coffee Talk #44: The Disconnect Between Game Critics and Gamers

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Barry Bonds’ agent saying the slugger’s career is over (duh), the Yankees trying to sign Johnny Damon (why?!?), or how much longer “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels will continue to perform for the WWE, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

As I was watching this excellent Dante’s Inferno developer diary, I started thinking about the disconnect between game critics and gamers. Some writers are just out of touch with what gamers want and expect. Part of it comes from getting too many free games for too many years, which makes some writers forget that paying $60 for a game is a lot of money for many consumers.

Dantes Inferno 2

In other cases, some critics are too busy being critical to remember what’s fun. Dante’s Inferno is a great example of this. A lot of writers are already down on this game, dismissing it as a God of War rip-off. They’re thinking, “This is crap. It’s just like God of War.” At this year’s San Diego Comic Con, one of my friends was telling me that a lot of the people that saw the game at EA’s booth said things like, “This is cool! It’s just like God of War!” Funny how it goes….

What’s your opinion on game reviewers? Do you think a lot of them are out of touch? Or do you think most of them are spot on? Do you think that some reviewers forget what it’s like to be a paying gamer? If so, does it have a negative impact on their reviews?

Coffee Talk #43: Do You Actually Role Play in RPGs?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the NY Yankees closing in on Curtis Granderson, the potentially awesome Google Goggles, or WWE Chris Masters’ dancing pectoral muscles, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Halfway through my fifth play through of Dragon Age: Origins, I was vexed. You see, I originally intended to play this round as a rogue, with assassin and bard specializations. A stealthy, backstabbing rogue with the passive assassin benefits and bard song buffs seemed like a great idea. When my character hit level 14, I couldn’t press the button to activate the bard specialization. A rogue that hid in shadows, backstabbed, and burst into song just didn’t make sense.

Dragon Age Origins 4

Some of my friends play games solely to win and would have added the bard specialization in a flash. I prefer to get lost in adventures and make decisions I like or make sense to me. I guess that’s why I don’t enjoy playing games as evil characters. In this case, my preference for role playing prevented me from playing as a singing assassin. (What do assassins sing anyway? Show tunes?) The thought of a stealthy rogue emerging from the shadows to suddenly backstab an enemy and burst into song sounds…it sounds…it actually sounds frickin’ hilarious. Crap. I should have hit the bard button.

Anyway, I wanted to see how you handle role-playing situations like the one I described. Do you opt for whatever makes your character the most effective? Or do you put yourself in your character’s Dragonscale boots and do what makes sense for the role?

Coffee Talk #42: Real-Time Strategy Games on Consoles

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Allen Iverson starting his second life as a Sixer, scooter luggage, or Danica Patrick driving for JR Motorsports, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Real-time strategy games on consoles took a huge step in 2009. Ensemble Studios’ excellent Halo Wars set a new standard for the genre, while Double Fine’s Brutal Legend deceptively mixed RTS gameplay with adventure. It’s still a niche genre on home systems, but it’s possible that these two games have paved the way for future RTS successes on the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360.

Halo Wars

Remember, it wasn’t that long ago that purists scoffed at the notion of first-person shooters on consoles. Gamers swore that they’d never abandon the pinpoint control of a keyboard and a mouse for a gamepad. Titles like GoldenEye 007 and Halo changed all of that, making shooters arguably the most popular type of games today.

Today I wanted to see what you thought of RTS games on consoles. Do you think they’ll ever be a big deal? Do you think that Halo Wars and Brutal Legend opened the doors for future titles, similar to how GoldenEye and Halo paved the way for all the great shooters available today? Or is the genre simply too complex to be controlled with a gamepad?

Coffee Talk #41: Create Your Own Videogame Beverage!

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, yesterday’s NFL awesomeness, Sergio Martinez vs. Paul Williams, or Tiger Woods’ recent “indiscretions”, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

FFXIII Elixir 3

I’m completely jealous that Japanese gamers have the opportunity to enjoy Final Fantasy XIII Elixir by Suntory. In America, the best videogame soft drink I can enjoy is World of Warcraft Mountain Dew. It’s not nearly the same. Slapping videogame branding on an existing beverage is one thing. Having a beverage maker concoct a new brew just for a game is another. The whole thing got me thinking about videogame beverages I want. Here are a few.

Dragon Age: Origins Darkspawn Blood — This tomato-based beverage might not make you a grey warden, but its numerous vitamins and minerals would give you the morning boost you need to save Ferelden on a weekly basis. Think of it as V8, with a touch of darkness.

Leisure Suit Larry Cialis Cocktail — This drink is part energy enhancer and part male potency provider. Your body will be up for a night on the town thanks to the taurine and the Cialis will make sure your joystick is up for a night in the sack.

Uncharted Filtered Water — When you’re searching for treasure and dodging danger in remote lands, it’s tough to find a pure glass of H2O. This bottled water ensures that you don’t have to worry about parasites and microbes getting in the way of a grand adventure.

Anyway, those are some of the videogame drinks I’ve imagined. I’d love to hear yours. Leave me your excellent elixirs in the comments section (please) — bonus points will be awarded to clever use of alcohol, particularly premium tequila.

Coffee Talk #40: Your Favorite Videogame Villains

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the U.S. vs. England in the World Cup, the return of Paul “The Punisher” William, or whether Pacquiao/Mayweather is a go for March 13, 2010, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

I was chatting with some industry friends about videogame villains when I realized that I don’t have a favorite one. That just seems odd to me. I can spout off dozens of comic-book baddies I love. The same goes for movies and television shows. But for some reason, I don’t have a favorite videogame villain.

M Bison

There are certainly no shortage of bad guys to choose from in games. Whether you like cerebral assassins, evil dictators, comedically ineffectual turtle overlords, or guys that just want to blow crap up, gaming has it all. Maybe it has something to do with how I don’t like playing games as an evil character; perhaps the interactive experience makes me actively dislike videogame villains? *shrug*

Perhaps you can help me out. I want to know who your favorite videogame villains are. Maybe your great selections will help jog my memory so that I can pick one baddie to rule them all.