Category: Videogames

Coffee Talk #283: What’s in a (Game) Name?

What do you name yourself in videogames? How about characters you collect in your party? Since I’ve restarted Pokemon SoulSilver, Pokemon names have been on my mind. As I mentioned in my old Pokemusings column…

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, Trevor Hoffman retiring, the Pokemon Black/White mall tour, or your favorite Kool-Aid flavor, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

What do you name yourself in videogames? How about characters you collect in your party? Since I’ve restarted Pokemon SoulSilver, Pokemon names have been on my mind. As I mentioned in my old Pokemusings column, I hate sticking with standard names. I love going with puns. Just ask my Wobuffet named Jimmy, my Kabutops named Citizen, and my freshly caught Lugia named Hakka. *snicker*

As for single-player games where I’m the lead, I usually stick to some form of RPad. While the name is passable in sci-fi settings, it seems funny and out of place in fantasy games like Dragon Age: Origins. An elf rogue named R.Pad?!? Yeah…. More recently I’ve been using RPad.tv for branding purposes. You never know when someone will play a game with you online and randomly check out your web site.

And you? What do you usually name yourself in single-player games? What names do you use when you have an entire party?

Sony Posts 20 PS3 Exclusives: Do You Want ‘Em?

Sony Computer Entertainment America recently posted a listed of 20 games that are PlayStation 3 exclusives. For my tastes, it’s a pretty excellent list. I want 14 out of 20 games. Check out the list and let me know which ones you’re interested in.

Sony Computer Entertainment America recently posted a listed of 20 games that are PlayStation 3 exclusives. For my tastes, it’s a pretty excellent list. I want 14 out of 20 games. Check out the list and let me know which ones you’re interested in.

Source

Coffee Talk #282: Looking Back at Your 2010 Most Wanted

It was fun learning about the 2011 games you’re psyched for. Just for kicks, I went back to Coffee Talk #59, #60, and #61 to check on your most wanted games of 2010. How did your picks work out for you?

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, Owen Wilson becoming a father, the Carmelo Anthony deal-a-thon, or finishing the last remnants of a mediocre bag of beans from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

It was fun learning about the 2011 games you’re psyched for. Just for kicks, I went back to Coffee Talk #59, #60, and #61 to check on your most wanted games of 2010. How did your picks work out for you? Were your expectations met or exceeded? Or did your choices disappoint you? Here are the three games I picked:

  1. 1) Heavy Rain — As a Quantic Dream fan, I was so psyched for this game. It was pretty much what I expected and I was very satisfied with the experience. The graphics, storytelling, and music were fantastic.
  2. 2) Final Fantasy XIII — Yeah, I still haven’t finished this game, but I really enjoyed what I played so far. Sure, there’s a lot of hand holding, but the graphics, music, and gameplay totally work for me. Plus, it has Reona Rewis.
  3. 3) SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 — While my other two picks were pretty much what I expected, this was the one game that surprised me. I knew the writing was going to be excellent, but I was shocked by its quality. If it doesn’t win all kinds of awards in 2011 then there’s no hope for the videogame industry.

Now it’s your turn!  I noticed a bunch of you picked BioShock 2. While it was a good game, I recall a bunch of you being let down. I also noticed that one of you was certain that Diablo III would be released in 2010. Oops…and I’m sorry. Now kindly peer into your retroscope and leave a comment. How did your 2010 most wanted list turn out?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

We’re barely into 2011 and there are already some excellent games coming out. There are three very interesting titles shipping this week…and I want them all! First up is DC Universe Online. I still have dreams of forming The Super Buddies, Part Deux with some of you. Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded bundles some KH episodic content that was released in Japan. As a fan of the series, I’m psyched to play more of Sora’s adventures. Last, but not least, is Prinny 2, the sequel to a super-funny and super-challenging platformer based on those lovable demonic Disgaea penguins.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

Coffee Talk #281: When Games Make You Look Insane

Do you do anything as a gamer that seems wacky to non-gamers? There are lots of ways that gaming makes us seem insane to those not familiar with our glorious hobby. I just had a weekend of “insane” gaming…and it seemed perfectly normal to me.

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, Edin Dzeko joining Manchester City, Porsche’s hybrid sports car, or politicizing the Arizona shootings, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Do you do anything as a gamer that seems wacky to non-gamers? Maybe there’s a certain sub-genre of gaming that you enjoy in a way that seems bizarre to your fellow gamers. There are lots of ways that gaming makes us seem insane to those not familiar with our glorious hobby. I just had a weekend of “insane” gaming…and it seemed perfectly normal to me.

I finally got around to picking up my shiny Raikou from GameStop. I forgot that I had a downloadable Jirachi on my Pokemon Pearl cartridge too. Like any self-respecting Pokemon trainer, I spent about 90 minutes getting an acceptable nature and IVs on my Jirachi. For those not familiar with the process, I received my Jirachi, checked its stats, and kept resetting the game until I got one that I was happy with. After that was done, I spent another 60 minutes soft resetting the game until I got a Raikou with strong IVs.

Hardcore Pokemon players understand why I spent two and a half hours getting the right stats. Some non-Pokemon gamers will “get” it too, but I imagine there are many that would find the effort excessive and unusual. Explaining the concept of “soft resetting” to non-gamers? Forget about it. Most people would think that it’s nuts.

Do you do anything as a gamer that the “normals” would find unusual, inexplicable, or insane? Is there an aspect of gaming that you enjoy but couldn’t explain to non-gamers? (And yes, one of the reasons I wrote this story was to justify my zealous Pokemon gaming.)

Killzone 3 Story Trailer (Malcolm McDowell, Ray Winstone)

Here’s an excellent Killzone 3 trailer that focuses on the game’s story. Hearing Malcom McDowell’s voice should remind me of his excellent performance in A Clockwork Orange…but I keep hearing him as Terrance McQuewick in Entourage. Anyway, check out the clip and let me know what you think (please)!

Coffee Talk #280: Your Most Wanted Games of 2011

2010 was a fantastic year for gaming and 2011 looks even better! What are some of the games you’re looking forward to in 2011? Here’s my personal top five…

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, why America cares about the Kardashians, Floyd Mayweather getting hassled by his HOA, or the miracle of Ted Williams, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

2010 was a fantastic year for gaming and 2011 looks even better! What are some of the games you’re looking forward to in 2011? Here’s my personal top-five list:

  1. Dragon Age II — I love BioWare. I love fantasty RPGs. Of course this is on the top of my list.
  2. Diablo III — I love Blizzard. I love action-RPGs. Oh, you know….
  3. The Last Guardian — As a huge Ico fan, I’m really looking forward to the game’s visuals and emotional storytelling.
  4. Portal 2 — I have no doubt that this one will rock. I’m fairly sure that this will be even better than the original.
  5. Journey — Some day, love will find you. Oops. Wrong Journey. I loved Flower and I can’t wait to see what thatgamecompany has in store with Journey.

Games that just missed the list include The 3rd Birthday, The Legend of Zelda: The Skyward Sword, Batman: Arkham City, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution.

Now it’s your turn! What are your most wanted games of 2011?

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

My friend Kenny is stopping by on his way from Vegas to Northern California. Last weekend we played some Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Perhaps we can finish the game this weekend. After he goes, I’m going to play some Pokemon SoulSilver or Pokemon Pearl. I’ll pick up my shiny Raikou later today and start EV training him to become a fierce special sweeper.

How about you? What’s on your weekend playlist?

Torchlight Coming to Xbox Live House Party

Runic Games’ Torchlight is coming to Xbox Live House Party in February. You haven’t heard of Torchlight?!? Shame on you! This nifty action-RPG was designed by several ex-Blizzard North employees and has a Diablo-esque feel. It was quite popular on PC  in 2009 and 2010. Here’s the official word:

A highly regarded PC game with more than 800,000 units sold to date, Torchlight is now coming to Xbox Live. Combat is more exciting with revamped controls and mechanics, new armor and quests. There’s even an exclusive new pet for your character. Send a select goodie or two to your friends on Xbox Live to share the fun for the first time.

I’m excited that the game is headed to Xbox 360 and thrilled that Runic will get more exposure, but I wonder how Torchlight will control with a gamepad. The mouse-and-keyboard gameplay of the original was fantastic and I worry that something will get lost in translation. I’ll be cautiously optimistic about this one.

How about you? Any Torchlight fans out there? Any newcomers interested in the game?

Coffee Talk #279: Sold to Retail = Blowing Smoke

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer impressed the crowd during his CES 2011 keynote when he revealed that the company has sold eight-million units of Kinect for Xbox 360. The only problem is that’s not how many units were actually sold.

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, whether Steve Ballmer is ruining Microsoft, John Morrison upping his game’s physicality, or your favorite Entourage character, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer impressed the crowd during his CES 2011 keynote when he revealed that the company has sold eight-million units of Kinect for Xbox 360. The only problem is that’s not how many units were actually sold. Ballmer cited the “sold to retail” number — a term that’s being used more frequently by PR flaks and marketers.

It’s quite clever, though certainly disingenuous. More people know the difference between shipped and sold than ever before. More PR people are using “sold to retail” instead of “shipped” in their press releases. Internet reporters and bloggers are doing less fact checking (and less thinking, for that matter) in their race to get stories up as soon as possible. PR people know this and cleverly mask actual sales figures with sold-to-retail numbers.

Marketers and flaks are playing the press. Sure, some writers will verify whether touted numbers are shipped or sold, but it’s almost always too late. Hundreds of articles with inaccurate claims will have been posted by the time a verification email is received. Millions of readers will have been misinformed by the time a diligent journalist receives confirmation via phone.

I’ve covered games for a long time and have seen PR people manipulate journalists time and time again. The sold-to-retail gimmick is one of the smartest tactics I’ve seen in a long time. As a reader, do you trust the numbers issued by console manufacturers and game publishers? Do you suspect that most bloggers don’t bother to verify figures? Do you think PR people punk the press more often than not? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!