Tag: Videogames

Coffee Talk #376: Comic Con 2011 and You

Deepak Chopra is going to talk about Batman at Comic Con 2011. How awesome is that?!? I suddenly find myself scheduled to attend Comic Con…and I couldn’t be happier! This year’s show looks awesome…

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, Kona Mountain Coffee’s peaberry dark roast, Samsung finally confirming the Galaxy S II for an August release in America, or Shaq kicking off his NBA TV career by dissing Chris Bosh, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Deepak Chopra is going to talk about Batman at Comic Con 2011. How awesome is that?!? I suddenly find myself scheduled to attend Comic Con…and I couldn’t be happier! This year’s show looks awesome. Check out the amazing panel content slated for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Whether it’s the latest videogames, comic books, movies, or TV shows, Comic Con has it covered.

What Comic Con 2011 content or information are you looking forward to? Are you jazzed for the Halo Universe panel? Psyched for more information on The Avengers, Batman, and Spider-Man movies? Looking forward to George R.R. Martin talking about Game of Thrones season two and what’s next in A Song of Ice and Fire? Let me know what you’re into and I’ll try to dig up more 411 for you while I’m at the show. Please keep in mind that I’m attending a show for another publication (I’ll tell you later) and have to serve them first.

Hey…maybe Deepak Chopra is Batman!

Katee Sackhoff Voicing Black Cat in Spider-Man: Edge of Time

Marvel.com editorial director Ryan Penagos has revealed that Katee Sackhoff will be voicing Black Cat in the upcoming Spider-Man: Edge of Time. Battlestar Galactica fans will remember Sackhoff as Kara ‘Starbuck’ Thrace. Males will notice that she’s a hottie.

Penagos also posted the first screen of Black Cat. The buxom cat burglar is Spider-Man’s sometimes nemesis and sometimes love interest.

While this post is partially an excuse to research photos of Katee Sackhoff, I’d love to hear what you think about her playing Black Cat in the next Spider-Man game.

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Epic’s Mark Rein Talks Android, iOS, and PlayStation Vita

Epic Games’ vice president Mark Rein recently spoke with Game Network about a wide variety of topics. The section on mobile gaming was particularly interesting. As I noted in December 2009, Unreal Engine 3 on iOS was a huge step for smartphone gaming. Since then, Epic and Chair Entertainment have had one of the biggest iOS hits ever with Infinity Blade. It was interesting to hear what he had to say about iOS, Android, and PlayStation Vita gaming. Check it out:

iOS is certainly part of Epic’s future. Our recent iOS game, Infinity Blade, has already earned us over $10 million in its first six months and hammers home the notion that iOS users are ready for the kind of high-production value games that Unreal Engine 3 is uniquely qualified to produce on iOS. Our engine is also available on Android and one of our licensees — Trendy Entertainment — holds the distinction of having the first-ever game certified for Android’s Honeycomb tablet release with Dungeon Defenders. They were also demoed on Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play (aka the “PlayStation phone”) and we showed them onstage at the Tokyo reveal event for Sony’s next-gen portable, the PSVita. Epic and Unreal Engine 3 are already big players in the mobile and handheld space.

Epic’s Unreal Engine is already dominant in the console gaming world. It looks like the company is on its way to having similar success on numerous mobile platforms. While that’s nice for Epic, it also mean better looking games for you and me. I have no doubt that Unreal Engine will succeed on iOS and PS Vita. Android developers have a bunch of other problems to worry about, but I’m sure Unreal Engine will help a few of them make great games too. While Gears of War is still the company’s prime franchise, it’s clear that Epic sees how important the mobile market will be in the near future.

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This Week’s Videogame Releases

I usually don’t include downloadable games in this spot, but I’m so psyched for Bastion that I can’t help myself. I’m definitely picking it up this week and hope a bunch of you do too. Other notable released include Call of Juarez: The Cartel, Captain America: Super Soldier, Just Dance Summer Party, and The Smurfs Dance Party (just imagine the graphics!).

Any of you guys and gals picking up new games this week?

Coffee Talk #375: Game Ratings and 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, the Women’s World Cup finals, NBA players signing with European teams, or Jennifer Lopez divorcing Marc Anthony, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Game ratings are a hot-button topic and I’m not really sure why. I think the ESRB does an outstanding job rating games — much better and more consistent than how the MPAA handles movies. However, that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about today. Do you think about game ratings before you’ve purchased a game or after you’ve played it?

There are several times when I’ve watched a PG-13 movie and thought, “This would have been way better as an R-rated movie.” Have you ever felt that way about a game? Are there any games you played where you wished the publisher and/or developer pushed the envelope more? Are there any T-rated games that you wish were M-rated? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter!

Ubisoft’s Uplay Passport = Another $10 “Solution”

Continuing the fight against used-game sales, Ubisoft has added its $9.99 Uplay Passport to the assortment of deterrents on the market. While the publisher has described Uplay Passport in saccharine terms, it’s simply charging gamers additional money for daring to buy used. Here’s more from Gamasutra:

Ubisoft has confirmed the Passport’s existence today, saying the feature will “provide players with access to bonus content, exclusive offers, and online multiplayer play” for “many of Ubisoft’s popular core games,” including Driver: San Francisco.

You can pretty much ignore the “bonus content” and “exclusive offers” drivel. This is just another publisher charging another fee that discourages buying used games.

I know that several of you have railed on EA and THQ for offering “$10 solutions”. How do you feel about Ubisoft’s Uplay Passport? Are you going to shy away from the company’s games? Does it impact your purchasing decision at all? Or are you starting to get numb to the practice and have accepted that this is just the way of the used-game world now?

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What Are You Playing This Weekend?

This weekend I’m playing a thrilling single-player game called Unpacking. I’ve been back on the mainland for two days and my luggage is still mostly full. This needs to be remedied (mostly for clean underwear purposes). Also, I started reading George R.R. Martin’s A Dance with Dragons last night. Packing and reading will take up the bulk of my weekend, aside from my mandatory Civilization: Revolution iPad breaks.

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

Today’s Poll: Battlefield vs. Call of Duty

Here’s a simple poll for you today. I’d love to know which war-gaming franchise you prefer, Electronic Arts’ Battlefield or Activision’s Call of Duty. They’re both hugely popular franchises with lots of fans and plenty of detractors. Kindly vote in today’s poll and share your feelings about these games in the comments section.

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EA Mobile iOS Fourth of July Sale

EA Mobile is having an outstanding sale on games for your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. There’s lots of great stuff available for 99 cents. Here’s the full list…

EA Mobile is having an outstanding sale on games for your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. There’s lots of great stuff available for 99 cents. Here’s the full list:

iPhone / iPod Touch
Battlefield: Bad Company™ 2
Dead Space™
Dragon’s Lair II
FIFA 11 by EA SPORTS™
Fight Night Champion by EA SPORTS™
Madden NFL 11 by EA SPORTS™
NBA JAM by EA SPORTS™
NCAA® Football by EA SPORTS™
Need for Speed™ Hot Pursuit
Need for Speed™ Shift
Need for Speed™ Undercover
RISK
SCRABBLE
TETRIS®
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 12
The Sims™ 3
The Sims™ 3 Ambitions
The Sims™ 3 World Adventures
TRANSFORMERS:™ DARK OF THE MOON

iPad
Battlefield: Bad Company ™ 2
BATTLESHIP
Command & Conquer™ Red Alert™
CLUE: Secrets & Spies
Coconut Dodge
Dead Space™
Draw Jump
The GAME OF LIFE™
Madden NFL 11 by EA SPORTS™
Max and the Magic Marker
Mirror’s Edge™
MONOPOLY™
NBA JAM by EA SPORTS™
Need for Speed™ Hot Pursuit
Need for Speed™ Shift
PICTUREKA!
Reckless Racing
RISK
SCRABBLE
SimCity™ Deluxe
SNOOD
TETRIS®
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 12
TRANSFORMERS:™ DARK OF THE MOON
Ultimate Mortal Kombat™ 3
YAHTZEE™ Adventures

Any of you buying?!? I see about five games I want. This will be brilliant for the airplane ride to Hawaii!

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What Are You Playing This Weekend?

Anyone playing anything patriotic for Fourth of July weekend? After battling comment system issues, I’m looking forward to getting back into Dungeon Siege III. Some hacking, slashing, and looting is just what the doctor ordered. And really, what’s more American than looting and violence?!? Oh wait, that’s more of a Canadian thing, as Vancouver Canucks fans recently showed. Ha! After that, I need to figure out what portable devices and games I’m going to bring to Hawaii. Wheels up on Monday!

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