Thanks to the excellent N8R, there will be an RPad.tv FireFox Persona available shortly. Check out the sample above! The persona has been submitted and hopefully you’ll be able to download it within a week (I’m totally guessing how long the approval process takes). I can’t wait!!!
Yesterday GamePro’s Tae Kim posted an editorial on why you shouldn’t play Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain more than once. It’s an interesting argument that’s supported well. Check out what Tae had to say:
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, Alex (not Adam) Lambert’s awesome dancing on American Idol, where Zydrunas Ilgauskas will end up, or the return of Fraggle Rock, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Yesterday GamePro’s Tae Kim posted an editorial on why you shouldn’t play Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain more than once. It’s an interesting argument that’s supported well. Check out what Tae had to say:
By choosing to let your actions stand, and by refusing to go back in an attempt to change things, you can better appreciate the turmoil felt by the characters in the game. You are also able to buy into the spirit of the overall game design more fully. It’s the fact that no matter how hard they try, they cannot change their pasts that makes the characters’ plight so much more meaningful; by applying the same sense of inevitability and immutability to your own decisions, you can impart more meaning to your time with Heavy Rain.
Before I get into things, I need you to understand that I like and respect Tae. If he wants it, he could have a long and successful career writing about games. He’s really good. Having said that, I think his entire premise is stupid and slightly pretentious. It’s easy to say that you should only play the game once when you got to do it for free several weeks ago. I spent $65.84 on my copy and I sure as hell want to get more than nine hours of entertainment out of the deal.
Fiscal responsibility aside, Heavy Rain is a great game and it should be enjoyed more than once. Would you listen to The Beatles’ Rubber Soul just once? Would you watch American Ninja just once (and deprive your life of the brilliance of Michael Dudikoff on a regular basis)? Of course not. Sure, those two examples are forms of linear entertainment and Tae is saying that the interactivity of Heavy Rain is more meaningful if you experience it just once (James Ingram?), so let’s try another example.
For some reason, Tae’s editorial made me think of my friend Karen, who is the queen of Las Vegas buffets. Playing Heavy Rain once would be like her paying $50 at The Bellagio buffet and only getting one plate of food. (That analogy was awesome if you know Karen or me.)
Yeah, I understand what Tae is saying and it’s an interesting point, but I vehemently disagree. What about you guys and gals? Do you subscribe to Tae’s dreamer stance on Heavy Rain? Or do you have a more pragmatic view?
The second entry in Gas Powered Games’ Kings and Castles video blog shows you a day in the life of creative director Chris Taylor. Join him on his morning commute and for a tour of the office. Chris Taylor is funny and awesome (even if he did miss our DICE 2010 meeting), so you should watch this video. It’s good, clean fun that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at Gas Powered Games.
In honor of the release of Heavy Rain for PlayStation 3, I wanted to see what your favorite type of rain is (in the context of gaming and nerd culture). In addition to Quantic Dream’s excellent game, you can choose from “Chocolate Rain” by Tay Zonday, Epic Games vice president Mark Rein, and Prince’s outstanding “Purple Rain” (the song, not the movie). Make your choice and leave your explanation in the comments section if you have a moment!
[poll id=”28″]
GameStop has a pretty sweet promotion running until 3/14/10 that allows you to receive 50 percent more credit for your game trade-ins. While GameStop’s trade-in value is usually pretty poor, the bonus makes it decent to good, depending on the title. While I’d love for all of you to buy your games through Amazon using my links, this deal is too good to dismiss. I’m going to go sort through my collection to see if I can scrounge up funds for Pokemon: SoulSilver and Dragon Age: Origins Awakening pre-orders.
Nintendo of America announced a slew of software release dates today. Here are the most notable titles. As always, let me know if you’re interesting in picking any of these games up.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii): May 23, 2010
Metroid: Other M (Wii): June 27, 2010
Sin and Punishment: Star Successor (Wii): June 7, 2010
Picross 3D (DS): May 3, 2010
THQ has released a bunch of new screenshots of UFC Undisputed 2010
Nintendo of America has announced that the DSi XL will launch on March 28, 2010 at a suggested retail price of $189.99. Here’s what the company had to say about this giant DS.
The screens of the Nintendo DSi XL are 93 percent larger than those of the Nintendo DS Lite model, providing a more vivid and engaging play experience. The screens of the Nintendo DSi XL also feature a wider viewing angle, letting friends and family members join the fun. The new system launches in both Burgundy and Bronze colors, and comes loaded with pre-installed premium software Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters, Brain Age Express: Math and Photo Clock, as well as two free applications: the Nintendo DSi Browser and Flipnote Studio. Nintendo DSi XL will also come with a larger pen-like stylus that allows for a more comfortable grip and enhanced ease of use when playing games that use the Nintendo DS touch screen.
In all its incarnations, the Nintendo DS has been unstoppable. I’m sure the DSi XL will do well too. I find it funny that Nintendo’s Satoru Iwata brushed of the iPad as nothing more than a big iPod, yet his company has made a killing in Japan selling something that’s nothing more than a big DSi.
Are any of you going to buy a DSi XL?
BioWare’s Dr. Greg Zeschuk completely rules. He truly is one of my favorite people in the business (as is his partner in crime, Dr. Ray Muzyka). After the diabolical Chris Taylor missed our interview session at DICE 2010, Dr. Greg was there to save the day. Naturally I asked him about the crazy three months BioWare has had, with two giant games — Dragon Age: Origins Awakenings
Since he was a practicing physician before starting up one of the best development houses in the business, I wanted to get Dr. Greg’s view on games like Wii Fit
(Yes, it sounds like I’m totally kissing his ass, but I’ve known Greg and Ray for several years. I assure you that my fondness is genuine.)
Yes, that was me playing Heavy Rain until 5:00AM. It’s pretty much everything I was expecting and I’m having a wonderful time with it. There is one facet of the game that threw me for a loop: the voice acting. At times it’s so bad that it pulled me out of the experience. Let me explain as I rub the sleep out of my eyes (Monkees reference).
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 top 12 girls on American Idol, Bryan Danielson’s wicked suicide dive on NXT, or Bernard Hopkins vs. Roy Jones, Jr, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Yes, that was me playing Heavy Rain
Some of the voice actors are good, but a lot of them are inconsistent or poor. I’m not sure what happened in the VO sessions, but it sounds like the person directing a few of the actors doesn’t use English as his/her primary language. Some of the phrasing and pronunciation is off. Strange accents pop at times. It’s…not the best and I’m thinking of playing the second time around using French audio with English subtitles.
Having said that, this is still a phenomenal game. The storytelling, graphics, music, and characterization are amazing. I’m just surprised that a game with such polish and high production values dropped the ball in the voice-acting department.
Any thoughts on Heavy Rain so far? For old times sake I will say that Brian Leahy (now with Shacknews!) is the Origami Killer!!!
