Please check out the video interview above with Josef Fares, game director of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, and read my preview-ish thoughts below. This downloadable game is set to hit PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC in Spring 2012 courtesy of Starbreeze and 505 Games. I checked it out a few weeks ago and was really enamored with its art style and gameplay. The controls are simple, but used in a unique and compelling fashion. In some ways, it reminded me of a cross between Ico and Heavy Rain, but with a refreshing originality that was all its own. Continue reading “Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Preview / Interview”
Category: Videogames
Coffee Talk #530: Your Daily Driver Videogames
Today I’d like to talk about games you play every day. Sometimes there are videogames we all go back to, either due to a sense of habit or familiarity. There’s nothing surprising about these games (anymore), but there’s something comfortable about these daily drivers. For some people, these games have become a habit along the lines of eating, bathing, and brushing your teeth.
As for me, for most of the last three years, Civilization Revolution for iPad has been my daily driver. The gameplay is always fun for me, even though I know that every game I play will end with Queen Elizabeth conquering the world. Sure, there have been stretches when Civ was ignored in favor of games like Final Fantasy: Dimensions, but…more
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 San Francisco Giants’ World Series victory, your favorite park, or James Harden going to the Houston Rockets, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Today I’d like to talk about games you play every day. Sometimes there are videogames we all go back to, either due to a sense of habit or familiarity. There’s nothing surprising about these games (anymore), but there’s something comfortable about these daily drivers. For some people, these games have become a habit along the lines of eating, bathing, and brushing your teeth.
As for me, for most of the last three years, Civilization Revolution for iPad has been my daily driver. The gameplay is always fun for me, even though I know that every game I play will end with Queen Elizabeth conquering the world. Sure, there have been stretches when Civ was ignored in favor of games like Final Fantasy: Dimensions, but I knew I would eventually go back to it and I imagine that will be the case for the next few years. The game just makes me happy and all of us should do something every day that makes us happy. Since it’s probably a bad idea to eat bone-in ribeye steaks every day (and I can’t afford to), I’ll stick with Civ.
Now it’s your turn! Do you have any daily-driver games? If so, please let me know what they are. If not, why isn’t there a game you keep coming back to on a daily basis?
What Are You Playing This Weekend?
It looks like a PlayStation 3 weekend at RPad.TV headquarters. I’m still loving The Unfinished Swan, but reading some of the reviews has made me angry. I will let go of that anger by getting lost in this beautiful game once again. I’m also making a trip to a friend’s house to play some PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. Earlier in the week I went to a party for the game. It was super-fun to play and watch. This one should be a hit at nerd gatherings. Also, I’m currently really bad at the game. Hopefully I can get enough practice in before it’s released so as not to embarrass myself online.
How about you? What’s on your weekend playlist?
Will You Buy a Halo 4 War Games Pass?
Microsoft has announced details and pricing for Halo 4‘s War Games Pass. This $24.99 subscription gives gamers three upcoming Halo 4 map packs at a discounted price. Fans will receive the Crimson Map Pack, Majestic Map Pack, and Castle Map Pack in December 2012, February 2013, and April 2013, respectively. Here are additional details from Microsoft’s Major Nelson:
Retailing for $24.99 USD (2,000 Microsoft Points), the “Halo 4” War Games Map Pass confirms your access to three War Games map packs as they become available in December, February and April, and represents a savings of more than 15 percent versus purchasing the packs individually. In addition, Map Pass purchasers will receive two bonus in-game helmets, as well as a unique in-game emblem.
There’s no doubt that Microsoft will sell millions of copies of Halo 4, but will it also sell millions of Halo 4 War Games Passes? The discounted price is sweet and unique in-game items are always fun, but some players will want to wait to see how the map packs are reviewed before spending money on them. Then again, it’s Halo. The quality has been consistent and there are tons of players that will always want the latest.
How about you guys and dolls? Do you see yourself paying $24.99 for a Halo 4 War Games Pass?
New Noobz Trailer in the House!
Here’s the latest trailer for Noobz, a road-trip movie about competitive gaming starring Jason Mewes and Zelda Williams. If the subject matter and stars aren’t enough reasons to watch it, Noobz also features Adam Sessler and the great Casper Van Dien. That reminds me, I have to call director Blake Freeman about casting me in Noobz II: Even Nerdier. Anyway, check out the trailer and share your thoughts on it in the comments section (please!). Continue reading “New Noobz Trailer in the House!”
Xbox Co-Creator Heads to Dave & Buster’s
I was surprised to learn that Xbox co-creator Kevin Bachus took a job with Dave & Buster’s as the company’s senior vice president of entertainment and game strategy. The possibilities are intriguing. Bachus is a sharp man, but he’s had a rough go of it since leaving Microsoft (see Infinium Labs/Phantom Entertainment). Although home consoles have greatly diminished the popularity of arcades, I believe people are still interested in them as a social destination based around gaming (the food and booze help too). I’m anxious to see what changes Bachus will make to the Dave & Buster’s formula. Here’s a quote from “Dancing” Dean Takahashi’s article:
Video game enthusiasts are always looking for the next big thing, and I believe Dave & Buster’s is uniquely positioned to deliver it to them. As a long-time fan of Dave & Buster’s, I am excited to have the opportunity to help shape the next phase of interactive entertainment outside of the home.
On a purely personal level, there are two things I hope this hiring results in. I hope that Bachus is successful in his new role and takes Dave & Buster’s to new heights. He was always nice to me and I’d like to see him to well. As a gamer and a consumer (of beer, spirits, and sliders), I’d love to see a fresh gaming experience at Dave & Buster’s. In my head, I see a cool form of gaming that can be enjoyed at home, but is enhanced when played at a physical location. Yes, that’s a really vague description, but I think there are some fascinating possibilities there. Imagine a social game that can play on your PC, phone, or tablet and also play — with more features and live social contact — at an arcade . That would be sweet.
Then again, I don’t know how appealing that idea would be to the valuable 18-34 demographic. I grew up with arcades and miss location-based gaming. Younger gamers that grew up with home consoles might not see the appeal…or they could see something completely novel. I’m not smart enough to intuit something like that.
That’s where you come in! I’d love to hear your thoughts on gaming at physical locations. Is that something you like to do every now and then? Or are you completely satisfied with the home-console experience?
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Live-Action Movie
Sony Computer Entertainment America has posted a live-action commercial for PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. The combatants include Kratos (God of War), Nathan Drake (Uncharted), Cole MacGrath (Infamous), and Sackboy (LittleBigPlanet). I’m a fan of live-action anything featuring Sackboy. He’s especially cute when he’s dishing out violence against larger, more menacing opponents. While Sackboy is clearly the star of the show, the other guys look great too. This is a fun and well-done bit of advertising.
Check out the spot when you have a chance and kindly share your thoughts on it in the comments section!
This Week’s Videogame Releases
It’s a big week for Xbox 360 racing fans with the release of Forza Horizon, the latest installment in Microsoft’s venerable driving-game series. If shooting is more your bag then Medal of Honor: Warfighter should keep you happy. PlayStation Vita owners have a pair of new titles for great gaming on the go: Street Fighter X Tekken and Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz. Lastly, The Unfinished Swan is available for all PlayStation Network members this week. I really, really hope some of you guys and gals give this game a shot. It’s wonderfully different.
Any of you picking up new games this week?
Ecko Unlimited Batman Arkham City Threads Available Now!
Ecko Unlimited has unveiled its limited edition Batman Arkham City threads. The crown jewel of the collection is the full-zip Batman hoodie pictured above. In addition to Batman clothes, the line includes t-shirts that feature Joker, Penguin, Catwoman, and Harley Quinn. The t-shirts list for $19.50, while the hoodie runs for $149.50. The shirts are available on Amazon if you’d like to support this site. The thing to do, of course, is to wear the Batman hoodie and randomly spout, “I’m Batman!” in the style of How It Should Have Ended.
Any of you going to pick any Ecko Unlimited Batman threads?
Coffee Talk #527: Your Various Internet Communities
As I mentioned to RPadholic smartguy the other day, I’ve been thinking a lot about the various Internet communities I belong to and how they compare to Internet videogame communities. Obviously I can’t be objective about videogame communities, but for the most part I find them pretty excellent. There are a lot of nice people that love talking about games and I’ve read loads of informative posts by them (you guys and gals are the best of the bunch!). Of course there are trolls and nuisances and racial slurs thrown about, but in my experience that’s mostly the work of young and stupid gamers. I’m not excusing it, but I understand and will naively assume that they’ll grow out of it.
Using videogame communities as a measuring stick, here’s how the other communities I play in compare…
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, getting hyped for the start of the NBA season, Lance Armstrong getting stripped of his Tour de France titles, or Apple continuing to cut off Samsung as a parts supplier, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
As I mentioned to RPadholic smartguy the other day, I’ve been thinking a lot about the various Internet communities I belong to and how they compare to Internet videogame communities. Obviously I can’t be objective about videogame communities, but for the most part I find them pretty excellent. There are a lot of nice people that love talking about games and I’ve read loads of informative posts by them (you guys and gals are the best of the bunch!). Of course there are trolls and nuisances and racial slurs thrown about, but in my experience that’s mostly the work of young and stupid gamers. I’m not excusing it, but I understand and will naively assume that they’ll grow out of it.
Using videogame communities as a measuring stick, here’s how the other communities I play in compare. Naturally, I’d love to hear about the different communities you participate in and how they’re different from gaming nerds.
Tech: In general, the tech communities I play in are civil and informative. Commenters are mostly mature and I’ve learned a lot from them. AVS Forums is a particularly wonderful place that’s mostly free of stupidity. Tech conversations get exasperating when it comes to mobile phones. The Android vs. iOS discussions often devolve into Fandroids vs. iSheep arguments. It’s almost as bad as PS3 vs. Xbox 360 flame wars. Aside from that, the blogs and forums I read are mostly fun, interesting, and civil places.
Boxing: As much as I love boxing, I’ve come to the conclusion that many boxing fans are morons. Promoters, sanctioning bodies, and cable networks make it difficult to be a boxing fan. People that post in boxing forums, like Doghouse Boxing, almost make me want to stop watching the sport. The thing is, boxing isn’t that popular and there aren’t many places to discuss the sport in detail. Doghouse Boxing has some great posters, but it also has an alarming number of idiots that spout all kinds of slurs, can’t string together intelligent sentences, and don’t know how to carry a civil conversation. Too many of the threads there devolve into flame wars between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. fans (FloMos) and Manny Pacquiao supporters (Pactards). These discussions are worse than any PS3 vs. Xbox 360 flame war I’ve seen.
Vaping: I’m really enamored with the vaping community at the moment. The crowd at E-Cigaratte Forum is really knowledgeable and supportive. With vaping tech moving at a rapid pace, it’s great to have lots of people that are familiar the various parts and mods. Since everyone that posts is a former cigarette addict, the environment is really encouraging, especially to newcomers. It’s all about helping people find the right gear and juices that will help them quit tobacco smoking forever. I’m going to write more about this in a future Vaping Diary.
Now it’s your turn! When you have a chance, please tell me about the different Internet communities you participate in and how they compare to videogame communities.