Tag: Videogames

Psyched for Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD (PSN)

I’m psyched that Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath will get a second chance to shine. It was a unique game that featured creative gameplay and a wonderful art style — you know, the things you typically find in an Oddworld Inhabitants game. Unfortunately for the excellent folks at OI, publisher Electronic Arts did a pathetic job marketing and supporting the game. Hopefully the second time will be a charm for Stranger and friends.

Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD takes the game to PlayStation Network with updated graphics, new character models, remastered dialog, and PlayStation Move support. Check out the clip above and let me know what you think (please!). Just for kicks, here’s a photo of OI’s Lorne Lanning and me from 2004. It’s from a Stranger’s Wrath interview I conducted on the EA campus. Ah, memories….

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

I’ve been so caught up with digital comics, potential jobs, and the looming return of Amazon’s affiliate program to California that I haven’t thought about what I want to play this weekend. To be completely honest, I’ve also been extremely jealous of my friends attending Tokyo Game Show 2011. *sigh* I miss having a travel budget. I think I’ll just cuddle up with my iPad 2, alternating between games of Civilization: Revolution and Quarrel Deluxe.

How about you? What’s on your weekend playlist? Anyone else out there ducking RPadholic N8R in Mortal Kombat???

Sony Aims to Bolster Android Games with PS Suite SDK

Sony Computer Entertainment has announced plans to release a software development kit for PlayStation Suite. Some of you will recall that PlayStation Suite offers games for Sony’s Android products and the upcoming PlayStation Vita. One of Android’s glaring weaknesses is games; due to a wide variety of hardware and mediocre development tools, Android game is several steps behind iOS gaming. A PlayStation Suite SDK is a potentially useful and lucrative tool for mobile game developers and would make Sony’s Android offerings more attractive to consumers.

Here’s more from the press release:

Supporting C# as the programming language, PS Suite SDK can run programs developed in C# on virtual machine equipped on both PS Certified devices and PS Vita. By supporting development for multiple devices and by adopting libraries to create a variety of content not only limited to games, PS Suite SDK will not only help developers save their cost in creating new content but also allow them to efficiently create their content on one SDK and without having to create on several different SDKs.

Through PS Suite, SCE will deploy various measures to supportcontent developersin their business forrapidly prevailing Android based portable devices and will expand the PlayStation entertainment experience on an open operating system.

This is a great move for Sony. If developers take to the SDK then products like the Sony Ericcson Xperia Play, Sony Tablet P, and Sony Tablet S would have a nice differentiator. The Vita would (potentially) also get some nice downloadable games that would satisfy impulse purchases. The Android phone and tablet markets are extremely competitive; a superior gaming experience would help Sony’s Android goods stand out.

Android as a whole needs every gaming initiative it can get. While the next version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, is supposed to bring development tools that address hardware fragmentation and Google has improved the development environment, it’s still considerably behind Apple iOS. As I’ve said in the past, I’ve mostly given up on Android gaming, but all it takes is a good set of tools and talented developers to invigorate the market.

On a side note, I’m surprised that this is even happening. Sony’s numerous departments have rarely played well together. It’s nice to see Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony Electronics joining forces for the greater good. Imagine all the amazing things the company could do if its executives didn’t hate each other?!? *snicker*

What do you think of Sony betting on Android with a PlayStation Suite SDK? Will it lead to quality Android games? Or will Android always be behind iOS in terms of gaming?

Final Fantasy X HD Coming to PS3 and Vita!!!

At Sony’s Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2011 press conference, the company revealed a bunch of remastered hits for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. A lot of prospective Vita owners were psyched to learned that the Metal Gear Solid HD and Zone of the Enders HD games are coming to Sony’s upcoming handheld console. I love me some excellent Kojima Production games and all, but the big news for me was Final Fantasy X HD!

I’m an absolute mark for Final Fantasy X. I believe that it’s one of the best in the series. I love the “sphere grid” leveling system and the game’s soundtrack. I’m super psyched that FFX will be getting spruced up graphics to accompany its fantastic gameplay and wonderful music on the PS3 and Vita. This game will completely rock.

Any of you excited for Final Fantasy X HD? Or are you more about Metal Gear Solid and Zone of the Enders?

Coffee Talk #397: Wacky Videogame Names

At Nintendo’s Tokyo Game Show 2011 presser, Square Enix announced Bravely Default: Flying Fairy for 3DS. The rest of TGS 2011 should be cancelled, because it’s not getting better than that. I love the name of…

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, Novak Djokovic’s remarkable season (tennis), playing “I Hope I Get It” over and over again, or Korean girls in skimpy sleepwear, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

At Nintendo’s Tokyo Game Show 2011 presser, Square Enix announced Bravely Default: Flying Fairy for 3DS. The rest of TGS 2011 should be cancelled, because it’s not getting better than that. I love the name of this game! It’s cute and dopey and oh-so-Japanese. I loved this game before I knew anything about it. That’s how awesomely powerful the name Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is. After I learned that the excellent Akihiko Yoshida is creating art for the game, I loved it even more.

I haven’t had this much fun saying a game’s name since Drag-On Dragoon. Sadly, Square Enix renamed that game Drakengard in America. Hopefully the company won’t butcher the glory that is Bravely Default: Flying Fairy. Just say it thrice. It’s so much fun!!!

Are there any strange or unusual videogame titles that have stuck in your? Anything crack you up as much as Bravely Default: Flying Fairy cracks me up? Post the weirdest game name you can think of in the comments section (please)!

GameStop Planning to Release Android Tablet

GameStop faces a rocky transition to the digital world. The company is already selling codes for digital downloads, but it appears it will take a giant step by release a GameStop-branded Android tablet. The tablet will focus on gaming (duh) and push titles that are certified by GameStop. According to Gamasutra:

The company also revealed today that it is set to launch its own brand of Android gaming tablet, which will be classed as a “GameStop certified gaming platform.”

If the company is going to get into the increasingly crowded tablet market then setting up its own ecosystem is definitely the way to go. HTC, LG, and Samsung make quality Android tablets, but haven’t made a splash at retail. This is partially because the tablet version of Android (Honeycomb) is immature and mostly because Honeycomb’s ecosystem isn’t as robust as Apple iOS’ tablet offerings.

Most pundits believe that Amazon’s upcoming Android tablet will do well because of its allegedly cheap price and rich ecosystem (Amazon App Store, Amazon Cloud Player, Amazon Instant Movies, etc.). I could see GameStop doing some damage with a younger audience by selling a similarly cheap Android tablet that focuses on gaming and a GameStop-branded social experience that brings players together.

Of course my big fear is this thing will use a customized version of Android that’s ugly as hell. GameStop has never been great with aesthetics. Its stores are ugly and its web site isn’t particularly attractive. I can see some GameStop marketing hack commanding designers to create an Android skin using the gaudy graphics and text found in GameStop stores. There are lots of sharp people at GameStop and I’d like to think that someone would be smart enough to try to steal the look of iOS or webOS…but marketing hacks often prevail.

What do you think of the prospects of a GameStop tablet powered by Android? What would GameStop need to do to help it succeed?

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This Week’s Videogame Releases

Everyone could use a few more god-killers in their lives. This week Sony is providing a double dose in God of War: Origins. This compilation contains HD remasters of Kratos’ adventures in Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta. I know that a few of you are hockey fans and not Canadian (very strange), so I imagine that NHL 12 is a big deal for you. White Knight Chronicles II isn’t getting the hype of the original, but it looks better in several areas. Lastly, Nintendo fans can get tripping with Bit.Trip Complete (Wii) and Bit.Trip Saga (3DS).

Anyone picking up new games this week?

Coffee Talk #396: Bomb Threats, Gadgets, and You

Last Saturday my apartment complex was evacuated due to a bomb threat. Details were scarce. One minute the police were calling for one building to be evacuated. A short time later, my building was being…

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, Serena Williams displaying bad sportsmanship again, Klatch’s El Salvador Las Mercedes, or Korean girls in skimpy sleepwear, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Last Saturday my apartment complex was evacuated due to a bomb threat. Details were scarce. One minute the police were calling for one building to be evacuated. A short time later, my building was being evacuated. My initial thought was, “Where’s my phone?!?” This was quickly followed by, “Where’s my iPad?!?” and, “Should I nab my 3DS and PSP?!?” In the end, I decided to just grab my phone and quickly leave the building. If it were a bomb threat on any other day than September 11 then I would have taken more time and packed more gear with me.

How would you react in a similar situation? How precious are your gadgets and pieces of gaming gear? Would you try to pack as many precious geek goodies in a bag before evacuation? Or is it safety first? What do you think your answer says about you?

Read My Driver: San Francisco Review (Please)!

My review of Driver: San Francisco is up at Machinima. The game was a pleasant surprise. Its main gimmick is “Shifting” — being able to hop from body to body. This allows you to experience San Francisco from different perspectives and different cars. The developers did a great job at implementing the gimmick in clever ways. Now here’s the part where I quote myself:

Aside from a story that is sometimes too silly and a difficulty too unforgiving, there’s not a lot to complain about in Driver: San Francisco. There are certainly a lot of things to love. The gorgeous graphics and entertaining gameplay definitely make the game a thrill ride. The strong multiplayer options will make you take the game for a spin well after the story is done. Driver and John Tanner are back, and they’re better than ever!

When I was playing the game for review last week, it was only reviewers and Europeans online. Now that the game is available in America, I’m hoping for a more robust multiplayer crowd…and less Europeans (I’m kidding!). The multiplayer modes in this game are lots of fun. Shifting adds a really cool dynamic.

Anyway, check out the review if you have a chance. I know that a few of you dig games like Burnout and Split/Second. If you’re part of that crowd then this game should be right up your alley. Driver: San Francisco offers exaggerated driving action with a unique gimmick that makes for driving sequences you won’t find in any other game.

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What Are You Playing This Weekend?

I’m not sure what I want to play this weekend. Deus Ex: Human Revolution should definitely be getting more attention from me. My Driver: San Francisco review is done, but I want to play more multiplayer now that real people have the game. Quarrel Deluxe and Civilization: Revolution are still getting daily play on my iPad 2. So many choices!

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