Category: Videogames

More Shacknews Previews From E3 2010

Here’s another batch of E3 2010 previews I wrote for the fine people at Shacknews. Check ’em out and let me know if you have any questions about the games. Remember, if you post comments over there, please be nice to the Shackers. They’re good peeps.

Time Crisis: Razing Storm: Good, mindless fun with the PlayStation Move.

Mario Sports Mix: I’m not yet convinced that this suite has the depth of my beloved Mario Golf and Mario Tennis, but it seems like a good party game in its current incarnation.

Supremacy MMA: This game is way early, but I like that it’s trying to be distinctly different from UFC Undisputed and EA Sports MMA.

Donkey Kong Country Returns: This should be another great game in Nintendo’s ridiculous holiday 2010 lineup.

Sonic Colors: After years of mediocrity, it looks like a great Sonic game is finally on the way.

Coffee Talk #163: Games You Want Patched for PlayStation Move

I’m totally psyched to play Heavy Rain with PlayStation Move support. When Sony announced that it will be patched for Move, I was excited. When I tried a Move-enabled demo at Sony’s E3 2010 booth, I was sold. The game completely lends itself to motion controls. Doing a quarter-circle movement with Move feels more natural than doing the same with an analog stick. Most importantly, I’d get to experience a brilliant game in a totally new way.

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, Chris Jericho as a game show host, U.S.A. vs. Algeria, or your picks for Wimbledon, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

I’m totally psyched to play Heavy Rain with PlayStation Move support. When Sony announced that the game will be patched for Move, I was excited. When I tried a Move-enabled demo at Sony’s E3 2010 booth, I was sold. The game completely lends itself to motion controls. Doing a quarter-circle movement with Move feels more natural than doing the same with an analog stick. Most importantly, I’d get to experience a brilliant game in a totally new way.

Are there any old games that you’d like to see patched for PlayStation Move? Let your picks fly in the comments section (please)!

Coffee Talk #162: 10 Things I Missed at E3 2010

It’s impossible for one person to see all the cool games at E3, but this year’s show was exceptionally difficult. Most of my friends at the show agreed that E3 2010 was much more interesting than E3 2009. It’s great for the gaming business, but bad for a single attendee. Here’s a list of things that I wish I saw at this year’s show.

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 “mystery” RAW general manager, the French being French in the World Cup, or Antonio Tarver fighting at heavyweight Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

It’s impossible for one person to see all the cool games at E3, but this year’s show was exceptionally difficult. Most of my friends at the show agreed that E3 2010 was much more interesting than E3 2009. It’s great for the gaming business, but bad for a single attendee. Here’s a list of things that I wish I saw at this year’s show.

  1. Journey: Everyone that saw thatgamecompany’s (Flower) next title raved about it and said it was easily one of the best things they saw at the show. Unfortunately it was only being shown behind closed doors at Sony’s booth and I didn’t have time to pester my way into a demo. I loved Flower and I love what I’m hearing about Journey…though the game’s name makes me think about “Separate Ways”, “Don’t Stop Believin'”, etc.
  2. Portal 2: It hurts that I didn’t get a chance to see this game.
  3. Deus Ex: Human Revolution: This one also hurts. Ouchie.
  4. Rage: The graphics in id Software’s upcoming shooter are supposed to be amazing. I wish I got to see them.
  5. Mortal Kombat: A lot of people were interested in the new MK after seeing the trailer. People that got to see it at E3 were even more excited. It looks like an excellent throwback.
  6. WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011: The lines for this game were ridiculously long — I’m talking Nintendo 3DS long. Rumor has it that the guy that wrote two of the best storylines in SvR 2010 has returned for two more plots in this year’s game.
  7. Dr. Mike Capps: I had a nice chat with Epic’s Mark Rein. I spent some quality time with Cliff Bleszinski. I didn’t see Epic’s Mike “Busta” Capps. My Epic dealings felt incomplete without Mikey C.
  8. Rock Band 3: I’m hearing wonderful things about the “pro” instruments. Whether it’s Devo or Europe, I want to get my keytar on!
  9. Dr. Ray Muzyka: Unlike Epic’s Dr. “Busta” Mikey C, BioWare’s Dr. Ray is a real doctor, not some computer doctor. It was brilliant spending time with Dr. Greg, but it would have been nice to see Ray too. They’re both excellent people. Besides, Ray has the cooler name.
  10. Don Daglow: The man is one of gaming’s living legends. Plus, he’s just warm and makes you feel good. I wish we got to bump into each other.

Part of me wishes E3 took place in Las Vegas. The convention center is superior and it’s a much better city for a trade show. If I didn’t spend so much time walking between West Hall and South Hall, I could have seen some of the games on my “miss” list. Las Vegas is also more compact than Los Angeles, so it would have been easier to bump into some of the people I missed. Oh well, there’s always next year!

Coffee Talk #161: 10 Cool Things I Saw at E3 2010

Now that my eyes and ears have settled down after being bombarded by the glorious conference known as E3 2010, I wanted to go over a few of my favorite things. Rain drops and roses and whiskers on kittens…wait, that’s not what I meant. I wanted to go over a few of my favorite things I saw at the show. In no particular order, here are 10 cool things I saw at E3 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, your new WWE champions, America getting jobbed by a corrupt referee, or Toy Story 3 Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Now that my eyes and ears have settled down after being bombarded by the glorious conference known as E3 2010, I wanted to go over a few of my favorite things. Rain drops and roses and whiskers on kittens…wait, that’s not what I meant. I wanted to go over a few of my favorite things I saw at the show. In no particular order, here are 10 cool things I saw at E3 2010.

  1. Nintendo 3DS: Forget PlayStation Move, Xbox Kinect, and Sony’s 3D stereoscopic gaming. This is the technology everyone at the show was buzzing about. Although I want to see how well it works for hours of entertainment, it’s brilliant for minutes at a time.
  2. Kirby’s Epic Yarn: Charming and stylish art coupled with clever make Kirby’s Wii debut a triumphant one.
  3. Disney Epic Mickey: Charming and stylish art coupled with clever make Mickey’s Wii debut a triumphant one.
  4. Star Wars: The Old Republic: I bumped into BioWare’s Dr. Greg Zeschuk and he gave me a personal demo of the game. Never mind that I missed a meeting because of this. Similar to if someone asks if you’re a god, if Dr. Greg asks, “Do you want to see the game?” you say yes! He’s awesome. The game is also awesome…and could be the end of me.
  5. Return of the “Big” E3: After a few years of mini-E3 in Santa Monica, people weren’t sure if E3 would return to its former glory. All the money spent on making this year’s show a spectacle shows that it’s back. You’d never know that the economy is in a major recession and the gaming industry is way down in terms of year-over-year revenue. E3 2010 was loud and proud! The only thing missing was Sony’s ridiculous parties.
  6. Child of Eden: This was — by far — the most interesting motion-control game I saw at the show. Of course it would take someone like Tetsuya Mizuguchi to make motion this cool.
  7. Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom: I was disappointed that The Last Guardian wasn’t at the show, but I found a substitute that’s more than worthy. This game reminded me of Ico with more involved combat. I’m really looking forward to this one.
  8. Crazy Activision Concert: A chick in a bikini climbed up a 50-foot stripper-pole…and a ridiculous amount of artists performed.
  9. Dance Central: Harmonix’ upcoming dance title was surprisingly fun. I gave it bonus points for having Bell, Biv, DeVoe’s “Poison”, but I was impressed by how well it used Kinect in a fun way. Sorry Dance Dance Revolution. This game makes you look silly.
  10. Razer Onza Controller: I was super excited about this product when I first heard about it in January and even more excited after I spoke with Robert “Razerguy” Krakoff about it. After playing with one at E3 2010, it’s the peripheral I want most for Xbox 360. Sure it has a wire, but it also has some unique features and the superb build quality Razer is known for.

Well, there’s my list. Obviously I didn’t get to see everything at the show and tomorrow’s column will consist of me whining about the things I didn’t see. For now, I’d like to know what caught your eye at E3 2010. What games and hardware have you amped?!?

The Search For Tony Hawk Shrek

When the GTTV guy tweeted about Activision unveiling a Tony Hawk Shrek game, I got super excited. I love Tony Hawk! I love Shrek! These are two great tastes that will taste great together, right? Alas, after three days of scouring the E3 2010 show floor, I could not find this game. I pestered dozens of Activision employees with lines like, “I know you’re showing Tony Hawk Shrek behind closed doors. Just confirm that it exists!!!” Sadly, nobody was playing ball.

Either Tony Hawk Shrek is so spectacular that Activision is guarding its secrets as if it were Colonel Sander’s magical blend of herbs and spices or this title is the videogame equivalent of Atlantis or the Loch Ness Monster. Does anyone have any information on Tony Hawk Shrek or is it one of those “world exclusive” dealios?!?

(Yes, this article was a rib.)

Shacknews Previews Batch One

Hey guys! Here’s the first batch of E3 2010 previews I’ve written for Shacknews. If you have a chance, please check ’em out. Feel free to discuss them over there or over here. Be nice to the Shackers if you choose to visit, okay?

Splatterhouse — It’s bloody and has an area informally referred to as the “Butt Plug Microwave Room”.

NBA Jam — It’s ugly, but good old-school fun.

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom — This is my sleeper hit of the show. It’s kind of like Ico with more involved combat.

Kirby’s Epic Yarn — I frickin’ love this game!!!

EA Sports MMA — The striking is tight, which isn’t a surprise since it’s based on Fight Night’s punching. I didn’t get the hang of grappling just yet.

Disney Epic Mickey — This will be another Warren Spector masterpiece. It’s a great platformer, with cool art and a fun gimmick.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword — A lot of people weren’t high on Miyamoto’s demo, but it looked sluggish because of all the interference. It’s absolutely true. Going hands-on with the game is a different deal. I’m positive this will be another great Zelda title.

E3 2010 Videos: Activision’s E3 2010 Party

As promised, here are a bunch of videos from Activision’s crazy E3 2010 party. They were all taken on my HTC Evo 4G, so the quality isn’t the best. They’re quick and fun clips that’ll give you an idea of what last night was like. In the immortal words of Booker T, “Can you dig it, sucka?!?”

E3 2010 Party Pics: Activision Takes Over the Staples Center

Activision threw one of the most ridiculous E3 parties I’ve ever been to. First off, the company held it at the Staples Center — you know…that place where the Celtics are going to beat the Lakers later today. Secondly, the sheer amount of talent that performed was frickin’ crazy! Kicking things off DJ Hero 2 style were Z-Trip, deadmau5, and David Guetta. Usher was next with his smooth voice and slick dancing (and numerous backup dancers).

Tony Hawk was supposed to perform, but there were issues with the half-pipe, so he just skated by and talked about Tony Hawk: Shred (not Tony Hawk: Shrek). The highlight of the night for me was a two-song set by Jane’s Addiction. Maynard James Keenan (Tool and A Perfect Circle) performed Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” with a choir. Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell totally rocked a somber version of “Black Hole Sun” with an orchestra. A dancer performed on a pole that was at least 50 feet high! N.E.R.D. had a great set that promoted True Crime: Hong Kong. This was followed by Rhea, a protege of Pharell Williams.

Eminem closed out the show with a handful of songs, accompanied by Travis Barker (Blink-182) on drums and joined by Rhianna for a song. Think about all the talent that performed! Incredible, hey? Most of my friends were at a Capcom party and I missed them, but this Activision party is something I’ll remember forever. (I do have other thoughts on this spectacle as a verbal entertainer and someone thinking about ATVI shareholders…but that’s a story for later.) Enjoy these pics and stay tuned for some videos!

Look kids! It’s deadmau5!!!

Usher puts on such a great show. He’s a true “performer”.

I totally marked out for Dave Navarro during this excellent set by Jane’s Addiction.

Watching this woman climb a 50-foot poll was entertaining and scary at the same time.

Eminem closed the show with authority.