I never anticipated the day would come when I fell asleep while playing a Dead Space game. Long week at work, possibly? Maybe the daily challenges of fatherhood are starting to catch up? Or, am I just bored by the lack of excitement in Dead Space 3?

Running from rogue Unitologists attempting to speed up conversion pushes the excitement  button early in Dead Space 3. We find Isaac Clarke in a shanty outer space apartment that makes government housing look like a palatial estate, and he’s having a conversation with the only thing that understands him, the mirror. Isaac’s “been there, done that” personality is unintentionally funny, because the atrocities due to these mysterious markers does not shock him anymore.  So, when it’s time to suit up, Isaac puts up little fight and accepts his role.

Visceral pushes consoles to their limits again, and Dead Space 3 graphically sets itself apart from it’s counterparts. Early in the game, players will travel to derelict space stations which have specific objectives. Some of these missions in the Space Stations require a Co-op partner to complete. Mixing single player and Co-Op missions provides a nice change of pace, and cancels out the, “we have to have multiplayer to sell this damn game” stench that so many AAA titles emit. Watching Isaac move through space bring back memories of space adventures with the late Commander Alfred Shepherd. The draw distance of space and the atmosphere is stunning. So much time was spent floating through the debris wondering how many hours Visceral spent designing this section. It even brought a sense of dread knowing that the mission must continue, and there we’re many more hours of silencing necromorphs that was required.

This is where the fundamental problems lie.  Walking into a room has been reduced to; Open door, hear weird Necro-sounds, shoot necromorphs, get the all clear. I don’t blame the issue on production values, because it is a well manufactured experience. The sound is exceptional, and the method for beating enemies is great. But, fatigue has set in on this Dead Space fan, and it’s time to rethink the formula as a whole. Weapon crafting is one of the major additions added and it gives players the ability to make weapons as powerful as they’re mind can create. Instead of having a standard line gun, players can attach a electric pulse gun to the line gun. Options are limitless.  Add in a co-op partner and the fun never ends. Two players with a bevy of weapons will turn Dead Space into Gears of War. No arguments from this side of the room. It just adds some depth to the experience as a whole. Devout players can run through the single player mode similar to the first two. After playing Co-Op with random people on XBox live, i decided to play the campaign in single player so i can take my time and not feel rushed.

Beware, there is a story somewhere in there. It seemed promising in the first few minutes until the super duper mastermind bad guy starts talking. I just imagined Isaac saying sarcastically, “hidden markers? Really? Noooo way.”  There seems to be more markers floating around in this universe than EA micro transactions. That’s another story for another day, but in the end, it’s your money. Partake of the micro transactions if you please. It’s too early in the narrative to judge, and it can possibly improve over the remainder of the game.

It’s still a fun game to play so far. I’ve spent over a hundred hours in the series as a whole, and it has been a thrill ride the entire way. There aren’t many horror games that are such a well rounded experience.  Similar to the the Alien movies, the first two games we’re ground breaking, and the proverbial legs fell off the later movies. I don’t feel that this is happening to the Dead Space series, but the core is beginning to feel a bit stale.  Dead Space 2 took a unique experience and fleshed it out more. Also, EA turned Dead Space into a complete universe with a few movies and books.  Unitology is a great parallel to religion, and in my opinion, provides a unique perspective and cautionary tale when religion outweighs rationality. So far, i’m enjoying the new additions in Dead space 3, but I can’t help but to feel like Isaac Clarke when he suits up and grabs his plasma cutter. Been there, done that, got the peng.

Editors Note: This not a review of the complete game. I’m a third of the way through the game and want to share my thoughts so far. My experience at the end of the game may be completely different from the way i felt in this discussion. I wanted to take a different look on the review process. Instead of having a 2,000 word review at the end of the playthrough, this will focus on the feelings as i play through the game. Please share your thoughts. Feel free to disagree. Comments are very welcome. 

September 17 will be a monumental day for Killzone fans. Not only is that the release date of Killzone: Mercenary, but it will be a good indicator on whether the Playstation Vita will be on life support. It possibly already is and this game could be the lifeline the Vita needs. Regardless, FPS fans should be happy with this video. For those who are new to the party, this game isn’t running on a 60 inch Sony Bravia 1080p televison. It’s the Vita’s OLED screen. Gorgeous. Listen to Art Director Tom Jones tell you more.

Source: Playstation Blog

OK so I’m a big geek. I know, I’m shocking you guys…anyway its true. I love toys and gadgets. Everything from action figures to xboxes and iPads. These are my big kid toys.

Now I’ve gone up another step and have actually bought a Nest? Don’t know what a Nest is? It’s a learning thermostat. It was designed by one of the original iPhone designers. He realized that there was a gap in the thermostat world and decided to fill it.

Learning is the key word here because it learns what you do. All you have to do is turn the dial and an LCD display shows you the temperature you want. It turns just like the old dial thermostats. As you dial in your temp, it starts realizing your patterns. It knows when you come home from work and turn up the heat, it knows when you go to bed and turns down the heat. It learns you. It has a motion sensor and if you don’t walk by it in a few hours it turns the heat down.

Yes, you can program a relatively cheap Honeywell thermostat to do similar things. But you have to program it. Some of these are easy, some are hard. The simplest of them is lost on someone like my mom. But the Nest just works.

And its so elegant. Its absolutely beautiful. A beautiful display, a pretty green leaf when you’re being energy conscious. Display background is red if you’re heating, black if you’re at temp and blue if you’re cooling.

You can adjust the temperature from any smart phone. You can check trends to see when you were cooling or heating, how often, how it was adjusted. Its great.

At $250 it is an extravagance. It doesn’t function much differently from a correctly programmed $70 thermostat. But if you struggle with programming that thermostat, it does pay for itself.

Installation is usually relatively easy. Both JD and I bought it within a week of each other. His installed within minutes and began working. The one issue he had was that the Nest is notably smaller than other thermostats so he had some drywall he had to replace. The Nest did come with a white plastic backboard in these instances which hides the difference in size. This isn’t ideal though. The Nest is a work of art and looks much better flush against the wall. Wiring for him was simple, plug and play.

My installation was much harder. I had a similar issue with the drywall. In fact, the original owners of my house mounted my thermostat above a register so I had to move it to a completely different wall. This wasn’t hard but I do have some drywall repairs to complete.
The larger issue was that after I installed the Nest it didn’t register as having a power signal from the heater. I reseated the wires. I checked the other wire landing to see if I jostled them. I checked the furnace wiring. I worried that I blew a fuse on the furnace. Smartly, I did this on the coldest day of the year. The longer I troubleshooted the colder it got. The colder it got, the more annoyed the wife got. She was great about it but I could tell she was starting to get cold.

So I hooked the Honeywell back up and it started immediately. That solved so many issues and made it clear that the Nest had an issue. After an extensive internet search I learned that a lot of the smart thermostats these days require a better voltage signal. The way they accomplish this is by bringing back a 24 Volt common.
As I looked at this, I realized that I didn’t have enough wires going back to the furnace. I ended up running a new wire set, then blew a fuse which was completely my fault. After some more troubleshooting I was finally up and running.

I couldn’t be happier with the Nest. Its well designed and I love the control and information it gives me. Highly recommend it, which I find surprising because I thought I was just buying a new toy.

One thing to note, right below the screen there is what appears to be a crack. It’s really not noticeable and I installed two of them without realizing they had the crack. It is where the sensors come together and is apparently essential in the design. Once you notice it, it looks wrong but its supposed to be there (returned one to Lowes before knowing this).

The Legend of Fat Ninja is a physics based game in the same genre as Angry Birds. You are a Ninja attacking other Ninjas in an attempt to steal their recipes.

Much like Angry birds you slingshot your Ninja. Then he bounces off of objects while you direct him to the assassins coming to you. Sounds simple but it’s not easy. Its a complex and rewarding game that can’t be beaten easily. If it has a flaw, that’s the one. Its hard. Angry Birds has many levels and you can beat them relatively easily even if 3 starring them can be extremely difficult. Legend of Fat Ninja has many fewer levels but it takes much longer to clear them.

Overall I greatly enjoyed it and recommend you give it a look. If you do, tell us what you thought of it.

Its available for Android and iOS and now has a lite version up on the Amazon App Store.

Okay–maybe it’s not THAT big, but GHR wants to help our listeners kick the new year off right! Over the next two weeks, we want you to follow @GamerHusbands on Twitter (if you’re not doing so already), and tweet to us your most anticipated title for 2013. On episode #254 we’ll chose someone at random, and that person will receive the standard edition of their most anticipated title for 2013 upon the game’s release – courtesy of GamerHusbands Radio! It’s our way of saying “thank you” for sticking with us. The only rule: One person – one entry.

Hey, the Mayans were wrong. Let’s get our game on, people!

Sony just put a ring on it. The Vita now has Playstation Plus and there is no shortage of goods. PsPlus began as discounts and exclusive access to betas and has evolved into free games. This is very good for current Playstation and Vita owners because they are adding a lot of recently released games to the download list. This service is definitely a system seller on the PS3 and Sony is hoping that it can breathe new life into Vita sales. This holiday period is pivotal for Vita, because it shows third party publishers that the Vita is a viable platform and it can be profitable for them to develop for.

             

Hurray for Sony! They get it. Playstation Mobile is a great addition to the Sony ecosystem. It adds bite size gaming to the network and it’s doesn’t cost 30 times the Ios price. One notable addition arrives today. JetPack Joyride can be downloaded unto your PS3/PsVita for the low price of $3.99. Toilet time will never be the same.

For the coin collecting hardcore, they can enjoy an extremely fun and addicting game for cheap. You play as Barry who finds a jet pack and puts it on. The jetpack also doubles as a weapon, and can upgrade the jetpack as the game progresses.  Some of the powerups include different modes of transportation, ranging from a cute but effective airplane, to a huge mechanical Dragon named, Mr. Bubbles. What are you waiting for? Head to the PSN and pony up for Mr. Bubbles.

Hit the Jump to watch the Youtube Video

A horde of Walkers(Zombies) are closing in. Her last seconds of humanity flee with each piercing scream. She backs up, prolonging the inevitable. Lee Everett is presumably standing a few hundred yards away, but is armed with a high powered rifle. A choice has to be made; shoot the screaming lady, and grant her a quick death instead of a slow excruciating one in the mouths of walkers, or let her screams divert the Horde so you and Kenny can raid the drug store, to provide the group with much needed medicine.

Neither choice is desirable, but one is mandatory. The Walking Dead has changed the formula on games that allow players to choose their own path. In many ways this change is welcome and necessary. As the story progresses over four chapters, many of the choices will make you cringe before making a decision, and forces you to abide by that decision. Sometimes multiple people need help and the wrong choice can be fatal. Death is so common that it should be included in the credits. Choosing a person’s fate isn’t always apparent, and becoming emotionally attached should be forewarned against on the cover.

Trust is a major factor and choosing to side with one person in an argument might have lingering effect on future situations instead of a direct impact on the current scene. Similar to Mass Effect and Grand Theft Auto, choice is the catalyst that pushes the narrative forward, but the game successfully masks the effects of your decisions. A weak narrative allows players to see the crossroads before they happen, allowing them to tailor their decisions certain ways. This was a glaring problem in GTAIV. Before making a major decision, you could visit a few forums for advice or make a cup of coffee. I nearly put the pros and cons on a spreadsheet of who to take out during the feud of Playboy X and Dwayne.

All of the characters have a unique narrative. Even the lesser characterless are intriguing and the decisions they make are representative of their personalities. Ben, the squirrelly high school student in one scene had the opportunity to sacrifice himself for another, but chooses to save his own tail. I doubt anyone was surprised though, because it was within the bounds of his character. There isn’t a level of intrigue, which is usually a detriment, but it’s a plus in this game. With such a well woven story it doesn’t rely on petty plot devices filled with highs and lows. Bad stuff happens, no matter how good the moments are prior.

Telltale has succeeded at making a game that doesn’t feel like a game. Unlike the walkers, there isn’t a desire to gobble up one scene in a rush of reaching the next. Protection and preservation are the main themes in the series. Protect everyone in the party and don’t trust the world around you. Primarily Clementine. As a father, my motives aligned with Lee’s, which is to protect Clementine at all costs. And from their first meeting in Episode 1 till now, my driving force remains the same. Another nod to telltale for using familial instincts as vehicle for the narrative. And, by doing that my purpose isn’t to see the ending, but see Clementine to the end.

This  latest episode of GHR was a pleasant surprise to me. I had a whole outline planned out. We we’re actually all on time to get started, which isn’t normal, since i’m always the one trailing a few minutes behind. Pre-Show banter was normal. Conversations ranged from talking about our days at work to topics we might discuss on the episode. None of which included; WWE, Hulk Hogan, The Outsiders, Jake the Snake or any of  the most memorable matches. But, sometimes a show can go it’s on course.

We are on our second cast of GHR hosts, the New World Order(nWo),  which is basically starting over. Listeners become attached to personalities and that’s part of the reason for tuning in every week. I can listen to hundreds of people drone about how amazing  the Vita is, but I want to hear Greg Miller’s(IGN) opinion on anything PlayStation related. Not only does his opinion matter, but I’ve learned to trust his opinion over the years. I think we built that same type of relationship with our listeners/friends over the years, so when we had some hosting changes, it was a new beginning.

Building comradeship with hosts does not happen instantaneously, and trying to find the middle ground between 5 people can be tough, sometimes impossible. With the original cast, it took us many episodes. Personally, I think we hit our stride around episode 91. That’s not a negative indictment on the previous shows, but everyone was focused and time slipped away. It felt like we we’re sitting around a table eating salsa and having some beers. Judging by the feedback, the aurora was felt by those that listened too.

It happened again after many episodes with the new cast. It seemed quite normal on the show, but on the inside I was jumping up and down. I had that same feeling of togetherness and it showed me that we have something special. I didn’t want to stop the fun with a, “hey guys, let’s stay on topic.” There was a common topic that was part of our childhoods and reliving those moments was our version of  sitting around the table, drinking beer, and having a few laughs. My apologies to those that don’t like wrestling. All of the comments we received so far we’re very nice, even from the listeners who didn’t grow up watching Brett “The Hitman” Hart. So, as we continue on this podcasting journey, our goal is to continue jelling together while producing a great show. A combination of entertainment and information focused on the gaming industry. And when we look back 100 episodes later, maybe this will be the marker of where the nWo hit their stride.

As outlets push out WiiU coverage and gamers make room for another console in their living room, new review precedents are also being set. Game reviews are nothing new for the industry, but overnight a few notable outlets we’re reviewing the actual console and attaching a score to it. Is this  necessary?  Last time I checked, the success of a console is determined by it’s software.

The console is the vehicle that allows the experiences to happen. It’s merely a catalyst. The software is what drives the bus. Sony had one of the strongest brands coming into the launch of the Playstation 3. Having so much faith in their brand,  Ken Kutaragi made a few arrogant comments which were indicative of the many problems Sony faced around the PS3′s launch. Also,  Sony felt that their hardware would put them at the top again due to the cell processor and the superior hardware of the PS3. Sales slumped, and it took years to recover.  Their first party titles weren’t as strong on the ps3 as they were on the ps2. So, even with over 100 million units, they still struggled to have traction with the PS3.

Conversly, the wii was one of the best selling hardware this generation, although being built on previous generation hardware, which was vastly underpowered compared the  Playstation 3 or the Xbox 360. It changed the way we interacted with games and captured an audience that the Sony and Microsoft are still trying to reach.

My intentions are not to cast aspersions on the sites that reviewed the WiiU, because they put out some of the greatest content and have redefined the phrase, “games journalism” in a very positive way. In an era where the User Interface of a system changes with the season, placing an initial review score on the initial launch unit seems arbitrary. Also, many sites will give impressions on the hardware pros and cons. I take no issue with that. My question is why place a number on a system that will have many updates, and will add more functionality throughout it’s life cycle. What matters most is the games and the experience. Those are the merits that define an era, not the launch unit.

It is another week with the whole crew back.  We discuss some of the games that we are playing, plus a little COD: BLOPS2 that we got to play while the servers were up.  Kevin brings up the newest WWE wrestling game and things go off the rails from there.  So join us for Wrestling Husbands Radio.

Contact us:lovesack@gamerhusbands.com or hatemail@gamerhusbands.com

and follow us on twitter@GamerHusbands

Direct download: Episode 244 – Off The Wrestling Rails

We use this episode to focus on the new releases. Assassins Creed III, and Assassins Creed Liberation take up the first block of the show. Ofcourse, Master Chief finds his way into the conversation and dominates it. He has a way of doing that. Does Halo 4 live up to the hype? Will this game bring 343 Studios the recognition of refreshing a reverened franchise, or will it be the end of great Halo games. The Vita is in a tough spot, and some of our hosts might see the writing on the wall. What do you think? Conversation never gets dull, which is odd, because one of the hosts falls asleep……again. You have to listen to find out. Enjoy the show

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN!!!

Before  you start making a declaration of your refusal to spend a cold thanksgiving night waiting for Best Buy to open it’s doors, keep reading ahead. Best Buy is showing their black Friday hand early, and there are too many deals to list. Target had a great Vita deal a few weeks ago, but the Black Ops II deal will make anyone happy. Think about it, if you’re buying a gift for a teenager, they are probably familiar with the Call of Duty franchise. The Vita is the hot new sexy handheld, and a memory card is included in the box. Also, the Vita is still in it’s first year, and not has a low cost of entry. Grasping all of the functionality is tough unless you are already familiar with the system. If people knew everything it can do out of the box, there would be more out there. But, that’s a problem that can now be solved thank to the amazing deals out there.

Source: Joystiq

Via: Cheap Ass Gamer

It’s only a matter of time before Presidential Candidates are DLC in fighting games. Adds have already invaded EA games and Comic books. So, it’s no surprise when when Street Fighter 4 renditions of President Obama and Governor Romney appear. Capcom doesn’t have any shame when it comes to putting a price tag on playable characters, and their only criteria is what the customer will purchase. If this were to ever happen it would change the face of political arguments. Instead of crowding the Holy ground of twitter, opposing sides can fight it out and expel some of the political angst. That would be worth the price of admission.

Also, this post is technically valid due to continuation of the election. It’s not over yet since Florida votes are currently being counted. There is no better feeling than to wait hours in a voting line only to have a concession speech on TV while you wait to vote. Florida voters were left hanging like a chad.

Source: PsPrint Blog

Bob and Kevin are helping George Lucas find ways to spend that 4 billion dollar this week. How many copies of Catherine can you buy with that much moola? That should be just enough for Bob to keep up with Ipad releases since they are so frequent. While they are down at Skywalker Ranch, Rick and Alfred pick up the reigns and discuss how the Walking Dead Game is in the same universe as the show. Or is it. Slatteriffic explains why our position might be flawed.  Also, Alfred and Sam take the road less traveled and discuss how Start Wars Ep:VII has the potential to be great with disney at the helm. The conversation takes it’s usual path down the Rabbit whole, which takes the crew to; the old days of Walmart being closed on Sundays, how great the old days were,  and the virtues of the late great Sam Walton.

Warning: This episode was recorded “live” a few hours before it posted, so there was no editing involved. Listen at your own stinking Risk! Don’t worry, it’s Clean. Enjoy

If you Really enjoy what we do, let us know by sending some LOVE to our Lovesack: lovesack@gamerhusbands.com

If you have a Bone to pick with us. Feel free, all feedback is welcome and we are not above constructive Criticism. hatemail@gamerhusbands.com

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW

Source of Artwork: Genzoman

Did you check out of Assassins Creed: Brotherhood too early? Did you even play AC: Revelations at all. It’s ok, IGN has your back. They tied up all of the loose ends from beginning to present in this 7 minute video. It’s very entertaining, and can fill in those AC plot points that you might have missed. Or would Animus Memory Points be more apporpriate? A yearly 30-50 hour franchise can make the dedicated weary. AC:III is shaping up to be an amazing confluence of game and story tightly woven for our pleasure. So, now you have no excuse not to pick up AC:III or AC:Liberation

Source: IGN

Target is sprinting ahead of the competition with the Playstation Vita Price drop. The more expensive 3G bundle allows connectivity to the internet while gaming on-the-go. This system usually runs $299.99 plus taxes, so get it now before Target runs out of them. If you are ordering online, then you have to actually click on the item to see the price cut. Initially, it displayed the $299.99 sticker until i clicked on it. Is Target doing easter eggs. Using the Konami code on the website is still unconfirmed, but it can’t hurt.  So the question you are asking is; Why should I buy a Vita. Ok, here we go!

1. It’s an aweseome piece of tech. It features and OLED screen, which is basically an LED Television in your hands. I think that Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom looks better on Vita than any other port.
2. If you are a thrifty gamer there is the Playstation Mobile store, that features very cheap and titles that look great, and are bite size in price and space.
3. Cross Play games allow you to continue your progress on the go. Ok, so that doesn’t sound appealing, but if you play MGS:HD, then you want to maximize your time as much as possible. MLB:THe show also uses this feature
4. Cross Buy: Retro City Rampage, Zen Pinball 2 have a cross buy feature. You pay for one copy of the game, and you can play it on Vita and PS3. Zen Pinball 2 is free, but your tables are Cross Buy
5. PSP/PS1 Store is available to you.  Take Final Fantasy VII on the go. Other notables are; Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles, God Eaters Burst, Mega Man: Maverick X, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy IV,V, and VI, Front Mission, Vagrant Story….just to name a few
6. Assassins Creed: Liberation

While you are debating on which games to buy, Check out our most recent show where we discuss how the Ios market has affected Vita sales. Click on the jump for the GamerHusbands Radio Player

One true fact about gamers is our obsession with rankings, so expounding on Game of the year rankings excavates some of the greatest diatribe, only rivaling presidential debate chatter on twitter. Current generation consoles are approaching their 8th year and  slumping sales are indicative of customers clamoring for something new and fresh. This extended cycle is also affecting  development, and some sequels are in their fourth and fifth iteration. (insert call of duty joke here.)  There is added pressure to not look at the sequels when picking a game that has left the biggest impression this year. Outlets will praise the Walking Dead for it’s engaging story, and how it changes our perception of point & click games. Others will point at Mark of the Ninja, for taking an older 2-d game conventions and redefining the Stealth Action genre, one that needed a fresh start. But my contender is Madden 13. A game won’t be on many game-of-the year lists.

This is a problem for me every year, because I want to vote for innovation and games that push industry standards forward, but when I sit on my couch after a hard day at work, i’m playing football.  So, does the amount of time investesd constitute a Game-of-the-year nod? The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was my most played game in 2011, but all of it’s flaws kept it from taking top honors. Also, For every person that loves Madden, there is about four more that hate it. Madden represents more than a football game. It’s a franchise that has been dominant since most of us were kids, and it’s publisher was voted the worst company in America. So, voting for madden in the eyes of many, is voting for EA.

In self admittion  part of the reason i’m writing this, are the thoughts that race through my head every year. Maybe it’s shallow of me to write an article about it, because it’s hard to admit that picking a Game of the year is representative of my own intellect, and in the back of my mind it feels like a disservice to pick a game that releases every year and iterates more than innovates. Over the next two months, there will be a massive influx of game releases due to the holidays, and there will be many contenders releasing in that launch window.  The game that i’m finding the most enjoyment from, is one that requires a different set of skills; reading defenses, out smarting the opposing play-caller, running a two minute offense when you are down by 3 points, and blocking a field goal to save your playoff hopes.  A game that I pick up when i’m not in the mood to play anything else.

Before you go any further let me make clear from the onset what this article isn’t. This is NOT A REVIEW of Resident Evil 6, This past weekend, I spent several hours at my friend’s house playing some of the Jake and Chris campaigns of the retail game. Prior to that, I played through the entirety of the Leon campaign of the demo. I do express opinions on what I played. While I feel I have a firm grasp of what this game has to offer, I haven’t played nearly enough of the game to give it an actual review. Instead, this editorial is primarily a description of my disappointment at the direction the gaming industry is taking as a whole–with RE6 being the example of my frustration.

This console gaming cycle has been an odd one. We’ve seen a handful of genres, consisting of a handful of series’ that garner millions if not tens of millions in unit sales each time a sequel is released. Gaming publishers aren’t stupid. They observe the sales of a Call of Duty, a Gears of War, or a Halo title, and they understandably want a slice of that pie.

According to a statement by Activision posted on Kotaku from early this year, the number of Call of Duty users has grown to 40 million (going back to Call of Duty: World at War), with half of those users coming from Modern Warfare 3. I was unable to find data on COD: Black Ops, so I’m sure that total number has grown substantially more. Halo, Gears of War, and the Madden franchises pull huge sales numbers, and make the execs of their respective corporations smile.

I have a belief about those numbers. I believe that a substantial number of those units sold are purchased by gamers who mostly purchase 1 to 3 titles per year. While I haven’t been able to bring up any firm data on that opinion, I have stood in midnight release lines at my local Gamestop for Halo and Gears titles and I’ve had and overheard conversations with enough people to lead lead me to that conclusion. I’ve heard a lot of people say that it was Halo, or Gears, or Call of Duty that either brought them back to gaming, or they played it at a friend’s house and liked the game(s) so much that they went out and had to have it. I was at Halo 3 and Gears of War 2 midnight launches in my home town. Both at Gamestop and BestBuy had A LOT of people leaving with new Xbox360s along with their copy of the game.

Here’s my problem; which is the reason behind my total disappointment in the direction Capcom took with Resident Evil 6, and the growing trend I’m seeing in the gaming industry. Companies like Capcom are so greedily desperate to gain the dollars of these 1 to 3 titles per year Call of Duty/Halo/Gears/Madden gamer, that they disregard the core elements that made their established franchise a success. These companies take the legacies of their established franchises, (like Resident Evil/Biohazard) and put them through what equates to a digital equivalent of a Play-Do Fun Factory. The result? A cookie-cutter game that bears no resemblance with regard to game mechanics, pacing, or presentation of it’s predecessors. The finished product not only rejects the core mechanics that made said series a success to begin with, but also fails in implementing the cinematic presentations and game mechanics of COD or Gears title failing to impress anyone.

RE4 was a major evolutionary step in the direction of the franchise. Yet, the game still maintained much of its survival horror roots. The handwriting was on the wall with RE5, with the introduction of co-op. However, even with RE5 there was at least a nod to the series survival horror legacy with it’s pacing. RE6 is a totally different beast. I don’t know what Capcom is calling this game, but it isn’t survival horror. It isn’t even survival action. It is an over-the-top, at times poorly controlling, non stop mockery of what this series used to be–and I’m only going back to Resident Evil 4 in my assessment.

Pacing is non existent. There is no time between action moment to action moment. The segment that even glances at the established legacy of this franchise is the Leon Kennedy sections, but even that is burdened by poorly implemented quick time events, and zombies turned bullet sponges that make the “slower pace” of Leon’s campaign a ridiculously moot point. All of the protagonists are literally walking arsenals now. You don’t have to worry about the shady “What are ya buyin’? What are ya sellin’?” fella from RE4 anymore. No more contemplation about what load out you’re going to roll into the next stage with with your utility case. All the characters can carry all the firearms, ammo, mixed herbs and sprays their magical digital hands can lay their hands on, which is necessary since it’s all a non-stop Michael Bay nightmare. But don’t worry. You do earn points to spend along the way. Spend on what you ask? Perks! Want Leon to do more damaging mele attacks? There’s a perk for that. Want to do more firearm damage to a particular “zombie” variant with Chris? There’s a perk for that! Want to reduce damage taken, and get infinite ammo for the shotgun (as if you need it)? Guess what? There’s perks for that too!! So now you can take your characters who can already carry enough guns and ammo to overthrow a third-world nation by themselves and make them the Terminator.

The trio of heavy hitter shooters pull big sales numbers–particularly in the West. Any game company / publisher would want to have a bucket under the udder of that cash cow. I’m sure Capcom is more than capable of felicitating the necessary talent to bring forth an IP to compete in that arena. Why then, was Capcom willing to use Resident Evil to go for that casual cash grab? Is it name recognition? I may be wrong, but I doubt the Call of Duty/Gears/Halo only player has even heard of the Resident Evil series. If they have heard of it, they aren’t going to be enticed to buy this game–especially when RE6 can’t duplicate the level of control or game mechanic implementation in the game(s) they already love. RE6’s review scores are proof of that.

In February, EA will release the third game in the Dead Space series–the last bastion of big budget survival horror. With co-op gameplay, and cover based combat that looks to be more in line with Gears of War than anything survival horror based. EA exec Frank Gibeau has stated that Dead Space 3 needs to sell 5 million units in order to survive. When did this number become the basis of a game’s success? This gives me cause to worry for one of my favorite game series this generation. Instead of building on what made the series a success, I fear EA will sacrifice it’s franchise to the mass market alter, and ruin the legacy of it’s series.

In closing, I want to make this clear. My problem is not with the casual Halo/COD/Gears only player. They’re passionate and enjoy what the like; more power to them. Goodness knows I’m passionate about my niche Japanese games. What I don’t like, is game companies taking their established, much revered franchises and turning them into mass market clones that satisfy nobody. Not the base that made that made the series a success, nor the casuals they are bending over backwards to impress. Capcom and all the game publishers/developers need to remember. Legacy means something.

It’s easier to complain than to give praise, and people will line up in droves to share their complaints about Xbox Live. There’s another polarizing magical word that turns gamers in to arguing politicians, freemium. It’s a model that began in Ios market, but is quickly becoming another way for developers/publishers to make money for longer periods of time, and not charging anything up front. Happy Wars is Xbox live’s first step into the freemium waters, and the game looks promising so far.

• 15 vs 15 multiplayer where the goal is to overtake the other team’s castle. Single and Co-Op are also availible.
• Real time combat complete with swords. Players can also use magic.
• Many customization options including weapons and armor.

Click on the jump to see the official press release

Official Press Release 

Happy Wars is a comical large-scale multiplayer action game. 30 players can take each other on in a grassy plain under a rainbow, a horror-stricken world of darkness, a mystical sea floor, and many other battlefields, using various spells, siege equipment, and over-the-top action. Join with friends on a grand scale to enjoy competitive mode as you attempt to siege the other team’s castle. Cast Magic spells and attack castles in co-op mode where players collaborate to take down wave after wave of Bot teams. For offline fun, players can tackle missions in the single-player campaign mode. •The Warrior pushes up the front lines with a sword and shield, the Cleric offers healing and support, and the Mage clears the battlefield with massive magical spells. Choose a class to suit your teams’ strategic needs – or just what you like doing today! • Teammates can gather to launch tide-turning Team Skills, calling down meteors and tornadoes or charging the enemy in a massive rush.• Using parts earned in the game, players can outfit their characters to look cute, funny, or boldly unique. Items can also be combined with each other to improve their effectiveness or generate unique items! Countless equipment combinations and customization options with customization parts and items released regularly online! • Use the Ballista, Cannon, Battering Ram, and other tools to turn the tide of battle in your favor!

Source: Major Nelson

New York Comic Con just ended and I had a blast. Its an amazing conglomeration of geekdom. Video games were well represented as Capcom showed off the new Monster Hunter, DarkStalkers Resurrection and Resident Evil 6. Their booth was packed the entire weekend and I never made it over to get hands on but I’m excited for both DarkStalkers and Monster Hunter. Love the DarkStalkers license and I can never have enough classic fighters. It looks like a great update to the classic.

It’s official. Master Chief has a new enemy out there and it’s not the covenant. It’s Pirates. Not surprising to see Master Chief appear on torrents all over the world, especially when disks go to the factory for production. Idiots all over world have been posting pictures of the official disks and the game running on their consoles. Microsoft is rumored to be handing out lifetime bans to anyone that plays pirated copies on their console. Does this also apply to people who obtain early copies from stores that break the street date? The offender would be the seller and not the purchaser who obtained a copy legally. As of right now, it’s safe to assume that the ones posting pictures with names like XxXreeferboy420xxX are probably smelly pirates. Official word from the Halo:Waypoint site;

Halo 4 launches in less than 25 days. The good news is that you are that much closer to having the game in your hands. The bad news is that as discs are being made and distributed, you may start to see leaks. The internet is an awesome place… until it’s no longer an awesome place.

We are working closely with our security teams and law enforcement to address the situation. Piracy is illegal and we are taking vigorous action against it. We have poured our blood, sweat, and tears into Halo 4, and we want you to have the best possible experience with our game, come November 6. If you’re interested in staying spoiler-free, we encourage you to exercise caution when visiting various websites, social networking services, and forums.

Going dark is a customary pre-launch tradition for many gamers, and now may be the time to do that. Thank you to those of you that are reporting the leaks, and we’ll see you November 6. Through the scopes of our Battle Rifles, of course…

 

The air outside is becoming breathable again, the inhabitants of earth are emerging from their living quarters without fear of melting.  College Jerseys are becoming part of the weekly wardrobe rotation, and the intangible aura of happiness has dawned over the American populace.  Sunday morning patronage begins at 1p.m. Eastern, but the eagerly devoted have already partaken of the morning ritual.  We’re not talking about religion, we’re talking about a  religious experience, this is football season.

Picking up the latest college football game is part of the yearly pilgrimage, and NCAA 13 has to separate itself from the pack.  Well, it’s the only dog in the race again this year, but that doesn’t hinder the upgrades that Tiburon has made, or does it?

Click on the Jump for the Review

For seasoned NCAA players there isn’t another option. Tiburon’s yearly offering has to scratch our college itch because there isn’t any competition.  EA owns the exclusive rights to the college football license this year, and the lack of options is beginning to grow tiresome.  To EA’s credit, they didn’t use the exclusivity as a opportunity to pump out $59.99 plus tax roster update.

Tiburon took the complaints seriously and implemented corrections to many of the problems that troubled players. One of the many complaints were the Cyborg-superhuman-robotic A.I. cornerbacks. These were able to run with the wide receiver and miraculously pick the ball off without every having to see it or the quarterback. Maybe NCAA 14 should implement a random drug testing program to correct this problem.

Heisman Challenge Mode feels like an  Superman powered Easter Egg. You can pick one a Heisman Winner and add them to any team. Your goal is to repeat the Heisman Season that your player had, and if you are good enough, have a better season than the candidate actually had. These feats are accomplished by controlling that player throughout the the season. Only playing one character for the entire season is a blessing and curse. If your team makes silly errors that cost you the season, well, the onus isn’t on you. But, if the only option is a win, then this might be more frustrating than it is fun. Especially since the trust is in the hands of the artificial intelligence. Eddie George as A Tennessee Volunteer? Well, it happened, and I enjoyed it for half a game. This mode is fun in the beginning, but gets old very quickly. It will give a completionist another mountain to climb, but will be a hurdle for the yearly college football player that enjoys the experience more than an additional challenge to complete.

Custom Conferences never gets old. NCAA 2012 tinkered with the idea by letting you schedule your out of conference games, but didn’t give you full control of the jet until this year.  So, that’s like waving a piece of meat in front of a dog. I suddenly turned into the Old Curmudgeon Mastermind by placing my toughest competitors in the same division, a mortal combat of sorts. Just imagine the Grinch-like smile that spread across my face as Alabama(1) and USC(2) faced off in week 2. And two weeks later the main matchup was USC  vs. LSU. No regrets here, because this was fairly allowed by the game, and it’s the BCS, and we know just how fair that system is.

On the field gameplay is where the train loses some steam. If you have played an NCAA game in the past 4 years, 13 will feel oddly familiar. The canned pre-game animation with the “team leader” doing the Ickey shuffle before kickoff is still there. The trash talking also takes a familiar turn down repeat lane. This is the Catch-22 that’s a by-product of the exclusive agreement .  There are two types of NCAA critics; those that think it’s a yearly update and should do a re-haul each year to visibly display the changes that were made, and those that are happy with the current game, but think the game should be updated each year only by tweaking the formula.  Tiburon chose to iterate on the game instead of starting from the ground up.  The play mechanics are still solid as ever.  Running feels fluid, and faking a defender out of his cleats is extremely satisfying.  The locomotion engine revolutionized the running game, which made NCAA13 a complete package.  Defense has always been solid, and  your success is less dependent on cheap plays, but hinges on your ability to identify what type of play the opponent is planning. These aspects have been solid over the past few years, and provide for a methodical, yet enjoyable experience. The familiarity is like an comfortable pair of house shoes. I was effortlessly calling audibles, shifting players on the line of scrimmage, and changing plays on the fly. But the lack of graphical update left me longing for something new and fresh.

This was my first time attending the event, so I didn’t necessarily have a good idea as to the overall flow of the event. Click the jump to find out more about the Classic Gaming Expo, and it’s surrounding activities.

The event itself was held in the Event Center of the Plaza Hotel. A weekend pass cost $35, and gave you all access to the event activities, plus an Atari 2600 cartridge (I chose Basketball). The venue was pretty large, and there were approximately 20 vendors selling a number of different items. My classic roots are intrenched in Intellivision and ColecoVision, and I went into the event with sugar-plum dreams of maybe snagging an ADAM Computer with a copy of Buck Rogers, or at least be able to round out my software collection for Intellivision and ColecoVision. Unfortunately the overwhelming majority of software available was Atari 2600, and Nintendo NES. The only Intellivision games available were titles I already own, and the only ColecoVision title I saw that I didn’t already own was CongoBongo–and I wasn’t about to pay $20 for that.

Aside from venders, there were an handful of arcade machines set up for free play. Scramble, Roadrunner, Crystal Castles were there among a few others. The most popular “arcade cabinet” at the show had to be at the Disney booth. They had a playable arcade game of Wreck It Ralph to promote the upcoming movie. From what little I could see, it had the classic 8-bit style of the original Donkey Kong, but played more like a game I have for Intellivision called Beauty and the Beast by Imagic. Ralph walks back and forth atop a tall building throwing a number of objects down at the hero (who looks eerily like a cross between Bob the Builder and Mario to me) as he works his way up the building. I would have liked to have played it, but the line to play was too long.

The real heart of the event are the panels. Unfortunately, I missed the one that I really wanted to see, which was the group of engineers who created the Intellivision console for Mattel. I would have loved to have listened to the stories surrounding the development of that system. However I was able to see the panel hosted by David Crane, co-founder of Activision, and the man behind the Pitfall game. It was really cool to hear about some of the experiences he and his co-founders had.

While I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for, there were some venders that had sore really interesting items. A company called Hyperkin was showing it’s Retron3, a console that plays NES, SNES, and Genesis carts. The system comes with 2 wireless controllers, and ports that allow you to connect your original NES, SNES, and Genesis controllers. I was very tempted to pick this up, as I’d like to one day start re-building my 8 and 16-bit collections. Of the other console products like this that I’ve seen, Hyperkin’s product seems to be of a higher quality from a build standpoint. The unit will set you back $70. Check out the Retron3 at their website.

I got the chance to meet the hosts of the RetroGaming Podcast. Hosts Scott Schreiber, Mike James, and Mike Kennedy do a monthly 6 hour podcast that is equal parts entertaining humor, and knowledge of the roots of gaming.Whether you’re interested in how to go about coin-op restorations for videogames and pinball machines, or you just want fix that old 2600 joystick, these guys have done and played it all. I learned about, and decided to attend the Classic Gaming Expo from listening to their show. So, If you’re old like me and/or have an appreciation for gaming prior to the NES, hit up their site at RetroGaming.com and check out their show at the site, or on iTunes. They were really friendly, and I chatted with them a couple of times during my time at CGE.

The last booth I’ll mention in this summary was from Game World. They are a downtown Las Vegas based videogame store that caters to the old school as well as the new. The store owner and staff were really friendly and knowledgeable, and thanks to them, I GOT MY SATURN!!! I also scored a sealed copy of Imagic’s Demon Attack for Intellivision for $5 bucks. Game World was probably the biggest vendor there in terms of sheer volume of items available; especially if you were looking for anything Sega related. By far, they had the biggest selection of domestic Genesis, 32X, Saturn, and Dreamcast titles than anyone else at the event. While prices weren’t the best I’ve seen, ($89 for Astal and Clockwork Knight. Yikes!) all of his copies were sealed, with manuals. I’m sure that now since his store gave me a deal on the Saturn, (the greatest home console ever made–in case you didn’t know) I’ll be calling on Game World in the future, to start re-building my library. They’ve also got an extensive collection of Magic and Yu Gi Oh! cards, and hold frequent tournaments. Be sure to check GameWorld out.

Overall I had a good time. I scored a couple of good deals, and had fun in Vegas with my better half. I’m definitely going back next year. The Plaza Hotel and Casino was nice place, comfortable room, and is host to a restaurant called Hash House A-Go-Go. Some of the best food I’ve ever had at a restaurant, with mega-godzilla sized servings, with kinda small prices. I would recommend CGE to anyone who has an interest in the classics, and–do you really need an excuse to go to Vegas anyway?

Destructoid gave some impressions on Atlus’ upcoming 2D fighting game Persona 4 Arena. If you’ve played Blazblue, you already know that Atlus hand drawn 2D sprites are probably the best in the business.

Combat will be conducted from a 4 button arrangement. 2 buttons manage attacks from your character, while the other 2 buttons will handle attacks from your character’s Persona. I’m glad to hear that it seems that the controls seem less complex than Blazblue (I never could get the hand of it). Check out their write up for more details. I for one will be looking forward to this game later this summer.

Image from Destructoid.com

GameTrailers.com has some E3 gameplay footage posted of some of the single player campaign where Decepticon Vortex is trying to destroy the Autobot’s transport bridge. To say this game looks gorgeous is an understatement.

It’s been a long while since I played a decent Transformers game. It’s been almost as long since I’ve seen a decent Transformers movie, but that’s a story for another day. This looks like it’ll be a great late summer game to satiate the palate before the Fall blockbusters come in.

I am perfectly happy with the PSVita for my portable gaming needs, but news like this will make buy a Nintendo 3DS. Per this article from Technologytell.com and an email from the publisher, Atlus will bringing the 2.5 D brawler Code of Princess to North America. What is the big deal to me you ask? Simple. The team who are did this game are former Treasure coders who did Guardian Heroes–a game that I have excessive fanboy love for.

The game focuses on princess Solange Blanchefleur de Luxe. When her kingdom falls to monster attacks, she picks up her family enchanted sword, and her scantily clad combat outfit to beat down the beastial army. 4 players can join the fray in ad hoc or online multiplayer in co-op or competitive game modes. Once this game releases, I think I foresee a Nintendo 3DS in my future.

Digitaltrends.com got a hands on with the upcoming Transformers: Fall of Cybertron. According to their write up, FoC will have gamers playing out a focused linear story regarding roles on both the Decepticon and Autobot fronts during the events that lead to the Autobots leaving Cybertron. According to the write up, players will assume roles of several Transformers, including Grimlock (one of my personal faves), Optimus Prime, and others. Check out the impressions for this upcoming game.

Tecmo Koei revealed that gamers will be able to return to the extreme martial arts, post nuclear apocalyptic world of Fist of the North Star. Destructoid is reporting that all that was revealed was a logo for the game, but I for one can’t wait to explode some more heads in the sequel. I for one, can’t wait to see what they bring to the table.

Alex Jones, producer on DmC gave an interview PC World’s Game ON regarding Ninja Theory’s impressive looking effort of the Devil May Cry reboot, and what gamers can expect from the game.

A couple of points from the interview: According to Alex, the game takes place early in Dante’s life as he tries to master his burgeoning powers and abilities. Familiar weapons like Ebony, Ivory, and Rebellion return, but combat is based on this Dante’s angelic and demonic powers (no mention as to whether this relates to a change of origin for Dante).

The combat will revolve around a system designed to allow the player to take on multiple enemies at once by switching between angelic and demonic abilities Alex suggests that skilled players will be able to keep enemies in a constant state of helplessness by performing combos between Dante’s angelic and demonic abilities. Alex describes Ninja Theory’s combat system as a refined mix of Gunslinger, Royal Guard, and Trickster styles from Devil May Cry 3.

The video that I’ve seen of the game has me hyped. I’m a fan of the series, and I’m also a fan of Ninja Theory’s work in melee combat games; namely Heavenly Sword–a launch period title for PS3 that still holds up graphically and gameplay wise even at this point in this gen’s life cycle. I’m anxious to get my hands on this game.

Image from PC World: Game ON