there's been a couple of very interesting, very hyped demos that have arrived on live in the last little while. as part of a new thing i'm going to do, i'm going to grab em while they're still hot, cool em off in my xbox hard drive, boot them up and give them a go.
then, initial impressions of these unifinished balls of clay will come to be.
so, for my first demo'd, i took a crack at devil may cry 4.
this is a series near and dear to my bro's heart, having loved up all the ps2 entries of the series and ranting and raving about how i should 'definitely check them out though they can sometimes be a bitch to beat'.
this is my first toe dip in dmc water, so i grabbed my muted green xbox controller and started it up.
locale
now, first off, the settings in this game exude cool. they're super old looking (great adjectives, i know!) but in the kind of run down, shadowed way.
chars
the bad guys, in all their f-d up mutated glory, are really cool and got me excited about this game from the get go. but then came the combat.
gameplay
now, i'm not saying the combat isn't deep, because as a dmc newb, there may be subtleties that i just don't know about. but to my mind this was a button masher at it's core.
one button for punch, another for your 'devil-bringer' sword and another for your gun. throw in a jump button and you're playing a platforming beat em up.
again, i could be missing something, but while the combat felt 'fun' for the 10 minute intro ride, it didn't feel like it would last. not to mention that nearing the end of my 10 minutes (which they've tailored so you can't get tooooo far in the game) i came to some enemies that were the first to do actual damage to my character.
that was the weird thing. it didn't feel too balanced. i took no damage and was f-ing guys up left and right a moment before, and then suddenly WHAM! i was between two intimidating looking mother f-ers on a field of ice (whereas i was previously in a burnt out city) who i couldn't do a whole lot of damage to and who seemed to suddenly be smacking me around like a cat with a 3 armed mouse.
overall fun-acity
the overall fun-ness of this game, will completely rely on getting the balance right between the strength of your character and that of the bad dudes (surprise, surprise) and i sincerely hope there is some form of level upgrade to make you a little more prepared for the bigger and stronger guys.
demo'd!
JD
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
a new link
if you check the right hand sidebars, and there are a few there, one of the tables is called 'friendly links'.
it's not always easy to find good stuff on the web. but i've found a few cool things in my travels and try to help those cool things out all i can.
i thought i could do a quick bit of explaining why those links are there and why they're worth checking out.
well, they're not in front of me right now, so if i miss one, forgive me:
jen the journalist - a lady friend of mine who is in the very relatable position of trying to find a full time job in journalism in an unfamiliar city. good read when she remembers to post (though i'm sure after this post she'll remind me that i need to keep checking).
hockey girl - the same lady friends' alter ego blogging for a paper on, you guessed it, hockey. very fun column that has a loyal fanbase and i hear that it's now being syndicated in the chronicle herald in halifax.
glenjm - a nice 'ol guy from halifax who's an actor by trade and a thief by necessity. well, i'm only guessing about the thief part, but his acting chops are way good! you may have seen him in the hobo with a shotgun trailer that won the grindhouse competition. checkout his travelogue - 'stupid foreigner', 'jog or die' or really any of his vids. they're a good time and he's not a bad blogger either.
zero punctuation - a new addition that i've been a fan of for some time. it's ben 'yahtzee' croshaw's alter ego. if you like video games, swearing and random images this is for you. but as long as you don't mind swearing, random images and the occasional reference to beastiality, this guys videos are ridiculously funny. he reviews games, but in a completely off-the-wall kind of way. i'll stop slobbering now, though.
penny arcade - a webcomic that defines what is good about web comics. cutting, snarky and almost always video game focussed, these are well written, well drawn and come out 3 times a week. always good for a laugh or if you're only mildly concerned with games coverage, good to keep up on what's hot in the gaming community.
kotaku - my bible. i have a tab open with this blog all day and refresh it every 20 minutes or so. they have constant updates on news, rumours, and previews of all the games you want to hear about, but they write them in such a way as to keep it fresh, funny and interesting. they also wield a medeivel weapon called the 'ban-hammer' to keep the commenters in their discussion section for each article productive and less 'fanboyish'. i am a proud member and commenter (going by pggb as my handle).
wired.com's game|life blog - a lot of content is duplicate between kotaku and game|life but there are still some nuggets of gold on here like Chris Koehler's all night Rock Band preview party live blog. that was sweet. they have a large assortment of different writers who have really cool takes on video games and industry changes.
i will probably change, edit and add to my list of links as days go by and will try to always keep you, mr. reader, abreast of the changes.
excelsior!
JD
it's not always easy to find good stuff on the web. but i've found a few cool things in my travels and try to help those cool things out all i can.
i thought i could do a quick bit of explaining why those links are there and why they're worth checking out.
well, they're not in front of me right now, so if i miss one, forgive me:
jen the journalist - a lady friend of mine who is in the very relatable position of trying to find a full time job in journalism in an unfamiliar city. good read when she remembers to post (though i'm sure after this post she'll remind me that i need to keep checking).
hockey girl - the same lady friends' alter ego blogging for a paper on, you guessed it, hockey. very fun column that has a loyal fanbase and i hear that it's now being syndicated in the chronicle herald in halifax.
glenjm - a nice 'ol guy from halifax who's an actor by trade and a thief by necessity. well, i'm only guessing about the thief part, but his acting chops are way good! you may have seen him in the hobo with a shotgun trailer that won the grindhouse competition. checkout his travelogue - 'stupid foreigner', 'jog or die' or really any of his vids. they're a good time and he's not a bad blogger either.
zero punctuation - a new addition that i've been a fan of for some time. it's ben 'yahtzee' croshaw's alter ego. if you like video games, swearing and random images this is for you. but as long as you don't mind swearing, random images and the occasional reference to beastiality, this guys videos are ridiculously funny. he reviews games, but in a completely off-the-wall kind of way. i'll stop slobbering now, though.
penny arcade - a webcomic that defines what is good about web comics. cutting, snarky and almost always video game focussed, these are well written, well drawn and come out 3 times a week. always good for a laugh or if you're only mildly concerned with games coverage, good to keep up on what's hot in the gaming community.
kotaku - my bible. i have a tab open with this blog all day and refresh it every 20 minutes or so. they have constant updates on news, rumours, and previews of all the games you want to hear about, but they write them in such a way as to keep it fresh, funny and interesting. they also wield a medeivel weapon called the 'ban-hammer' to keep the commenters in their discussion section for each article productive and less 'fanboyish'. i am a proud member and commenter (going by pggb as my handle).
wired.com's game|life blog - a lot of content is duplicate between kotaku and game|life but there are still some nuggets of gold on here like Chris Koehler's all night Rock Band preview party live blog. that was sweet. they have a large assortment of different writers who have really cool takes on video games and industry changes.
i will probably change, edit and add to my list of links as days go by and will try to always keep you, mr. reader, abreast of the changes.
excelsior!
JD
a slow day
another dreary monday for games. not much new on the horizon to get excited for just yet but it can all change.
for one thing, rez hd comes out this wednesday on live. and with 3 controller vibration support, this will be the bestsexual stimulant shoot em up in the live library.
but honestly, i have heard that the game in mind-blowing and fun in the geometry wars, everyday shooter type of way, and that the vibration does add a certain element to the game.
in other news, i found the free live apology game to be quite boring, as underwater 2D fighting, that looks kind of 3D was never high on my priority list to play. really not into it right now.
i am, however, slowly getting into dead rising, a game i am woefully late to get a chance at first hand, but i'm finding the whole 'play over and over again until you can survive and win the main story line' thing kind of tedious. dying has never been easy for me to take in games, and it seems that the only way to get high enough stats to survive for long stretches of time is to do just that. it's counter-intuitive.
lastly, the king of kong: a fistful of quarters dvd has been dated, and it's coming out on the 29th in america. please check it out, gamers and non-gamers alike. it's another 'drag your girlfriend or dubious fiancee to movie' that will win them over. the plot line, while maybe not 100% accurate, as i stated before, is hard to not get dragged into.
hoping for more exciting developments down the line,
JD
for one thing, rez hd comes out this wednesday on live. and with 3 controller vibration support, this will be the best
but honestly, i have heard that the game in mind-blowing and fun in the geometry wars, everyday shooter type of way, and that the vibration does add a certain element to the game.
in other news, i found the free live apology game to be quite boring, as underwater 2D fighting, that looks kind of 3D was never high on my priority list to play. really not into it right now.
i am, however, slowly getting into dead rising, a game i am woefully late to get a chance at first hand, but i'm finding the whole 'play over and over again until you can survive and win the main story line' thing kind of tedious. dying has never been easy for me to take in games, and it seems that the only way to get high enough stats to survive for long stretches of time is to do just that. it's counter-intuitive.
lastly, the king of kong: a fistful of quarters dvd has been dated, and it's coming out on the 29th in america. please check it out, gamers and non-gamers alike. it's another 'drag your girlfriend or dubious fiancee to movie' that will win them over. the plot line, while maybe not 100% accurate, as i stated before, is hard to not get dragged into.
hoping for more exciting developments down the line,
JD
Friday, January 25, 2008
force unleashed?
well it's fairly free, but still a little domesticated...
just joking, but honestly, this game looks re-frigging-diculous!
this is the equivalent of star wars porn for any nerd that holds the original trilogy near and dear to their heart (like me) - so long as you don't count the actual star wars pornography that probably exists out there.
follow the link. thank me later. it not only looks fun to play, it looks like crackdown meets frigging episode v! the only troubling bit in the entire clip is the white rancor and that dopey looking plant planet.
besides that, i'm sold lucasarts. take my wallet now as you will own it whenever you are gracious enough to streetdate (wikipedia says august 26, 2008, but who knows) this game.
please let it play as good as it looks! please!
help me obi-wan kenobi, you're my only hope,
JD
just joking, but honestly, this game looks re-frigging-diculous!
this is the equivalent of star wars porn for any nerd that holds the original trilogy near and dear to their heart (like me) - so long as you don't count the actual star wars pornography that probably exists out there.
follow the link. thank me later. it not only looks fun to play, it looks like crackdown meets frigging episode v! the only troubling bit in the entire clip is the white rancor and that dopey looking plant planet.
besides that, i'm sold lucasarts. take my wallet now as you will own it whenever you are gracious enough to streetdate (wikipedia says august 26, 2008, but who knows) this game.
please let it play as good as it looks! please!
help me obi-wan kenobi, you're my only hope,
JD
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
rock band has arrived in canada...in a BIG WAY
after numerous reports that rock band quantities were negligible and fears that you should start getting worried about getting a copy, it seems like everywhere you look, those big blue boxes are staring you in the face.
i know, that i, like everyone else, grabbed one the instant i saw it, fearing i might never have another chance to own one.
for the benefit of the few people to read my blog, i've documented my excursion, and disappoint/glee that there are now copies of rock band everywhere, where there were none a week prior (at least none that were on sale):
wal-mart near the cash.
wal-mart again, this time above the game accessories.
wal-mart the third, i guess they ran out of room on the floor and over the 360 stuff, to they stacked some extra boxes above the old ps2 cabinet that's in the back corner of the electronic's section.
this is the stack they now have in eb, after they guy told me they had 'a couple' in stock. they were receiving another shipment as i took this picture...
and this was in starstruck, a lame movie store in the scarboro town center. they too got a late shipment.
and don't delude yourself into thinking that these were only the ps3 versions that no one was buying before, there is an almost 50/50 balance, if not more of the 360 versions out there now.
i guess the droughts were just speculation and rock band won't turn into the next wii consumer frenzy.
loving the rock, but hating the block,
JD
*edit*
you can see for yourself how many are xbox360 versions by clicking the pictures.
i had no idea how detailed the pics were that i can take with my blackberry.
also, by block in my sign off, i meant how sometimes it kind of feels like stores hold out supplies until they can shelve a ton of merch. so 'block' is as-in how eb c**k blocks me everytime something good comes out. peace.
i know, that i, like everyone else, grabbed one the instant i saw it, fearing i might never have another chance to own one.
for the benefit of the few people to read my blog, i've documented my excursion, and disappoint/glee that there are now copies of rock band everywhere, where there were none a week prior (at least none that were on sale):
wal-mart near the cash.
wal-mart again, this time above the game accessories.
wal-mart the third, i guess they ran out of room on the floor and over the 360 stuff, to they stacked some extra boxes above the old ps2 cabinet that's in the back corner of the electronic's section.
this is the stack they now have in eb, after they guy told me they had 'a couple' in stock. they were receiving another shipment as i took this picture...
and this was in starstruck, a lame movie store in the scarboro town center. they too got a late shipment.
and don't delude yourself into thinking that these were only the ps3 versions that no one was buying before, there is an almost 50/50 balance, if not more of the 360 versions out there now.
i guess the droughts were just speculation and rock band won't turn into the next wii consumer frenzy.
loving the rock, but hating the block,
JD
*edit*
you can see for yourself how many are xbox360 versions by clicking the pictures.
i had no idea how detailed the pics were that i can take with my blackberry.
also, by block in my sign off, i meant how sometimes it kind of feels like stores hold out supplies until they can shelve a ton of merch. so 'block' is as-in how eb c**k blocks me everytime something good comes out. peace.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
tidbits and news
so i guess i jumped the gun a little saying that activision had sorted out that whole eensy weensy guitar hero iii for wii problem. you know...the one where they didn't get stereo sound? you don't remember that because guitar hero iii came out a while ago?
well, i had said that it was cleared up, and in reality, only now have they said that replacement disks are being shipped out...in february.
so don't get too excited guitar-wiiers, you will have to deal with mono sound and unfun guitar face-offs for another little while.
bad santa
i also procured two of the things that were on my most wanted list from well before christmas. santa may have come late for me (between december 26th to january 19th) but he sure came up big!
- a 30" hdtv - as described below
- a halo 3 version xbox 360 - complete with 0 copies of the game included!
- and a copy of... wait for it.... ROCK BAND!
i was cruising my 'near-work' eb and saw some boxes around of the ps3 version so i casually asked 'got any rock band special editions for the 360?' and was told that my lucky ship had arrived.
so yes, i'm now in the midst of trying to sync another rhythm game to my hdtv, having just kind of figured ghiii out a week ago.
but in the fun-factor rating system, it measures a whopping 11.5 our of a possible 10 fun-ness points.
jen and i have been rocking out to many hits, and like all other reviewers, i found the single player experience a dish best served in one bite, quickly. it's not very deep is what i'm saying.
playing in a 'band' however, is sweet. we've even taken turns singing-to moderate success-and still had fun. need to get over a proper group to do it up right though...
rocking the free and domesticated worlds,
JD
well, i had said that it was cleared up, and in reality, only now have they said that replacement disks are being shipped out...in february.
so don't get too excited guitar-wiiers, you will have to deal with mono sound and unfun guitar face-offs for another little while.
bad santa
i also procured two of the things that were on my most wanted list from well before christmas. santa may have come late for me (between december 26th to january 19th) but he sure came up big!
- a 30" hdtv - as described below
- a halo 3 version xbox 360 - complete with 0 copies of the game included!
- and a copy of... wait for it.... ROCK BAND!
i was cruising my 'near-work' eb and saw some boxes around of the ps3 version so i casually asked 'got any rock band special editions for the 360?' and was told that my lucky ship had arrived.
so yes, i'm now in the midst of trying to sync another rhythm game to my hdtv, having just kind of figured ghiii out a week ago.
but in the fun-factor rating system, it measures a whopping 11.5 our of a possible 10 fun-ness points.
jen and i have been rocking out to many hits, and like all other reviewers, i found the single player experience a dish best served in one bite, quickly. it's not very deep is what i'm saying.
playing in a 'band' however, is sweet. we've even taken turns singing-to moderate success-and still had fun. need to get over a proper group to do it up right though...
rocking the free and domesticated worlds,
JD
Friday, January 18, 2008
re: gaming news update: 1/4/08
guess who was right?
so what do we get for the rampant and persistant xbox live! outages up to, including and since christmas?
like i said earlier, a crappy-or from what i've heard, pretty good-old-ass xbox live arcade game.
not exactly blowing my socks off microsoft. why couldn't they just give us a bunch of points, like a significant amount of points, say...enough to change your gamercard name-800-or maybe get a couple of arcade games you have wanted to for a while, maybe some rock band dlc...
either way, i'm not too impressed. although silver members can get it too...
angry in my passiveness,
JD
so what do we get for the rampant and persistant xbox live! outages up to, including and since christmas?
like i said earlier, a crappy-or from what i've heard, pretty good-old-ass xbox live arcade game.
not exactly blowing my socks off microsoft. why couldn't they just give us a bunch of points, like a significant amount of points, say...enough to change your gamercard name-800-or maybe get a couple of arcade games you have wanted to for a while, maybe some rock band dlc...
either way, i'm not too impressed. although silver members can get it too...
angry in my passiveness,
JD
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
big update coming
sorry, forgot to mention that i would be mostly incommunicado whilst in san fran and would be completely remiss in my blog posting.
i will post a couple of updates with pictures from my san fran adventures, the steve jobs keynotes-complete with horrible pictures taken in the dark-the macworld show floor and other randoms.
i've had some really interesting experiences while here-a lot of which i didn't have the foresight or quickness to document on film-and i'm really excited to try to remember some of them and get them down in print.
thinking of you all fondly and in various dirty ways,
JD
oh, and check here for the pcworld.ca blog. i'm going to put up a few updates from macworld-and a couple from home about macworld-so...READ IT!
i will post a couple of updates with pictures from my san fran adventures, the steve jobs keynotes-complete with horrible pictures taken in the dark-the macworld show floor and other randoms.
i've had some really interesting experiences while here-a lot of which i didn't have the foresight or quickness to document on film-and i'm really excited to try to remember some of them and get them down in print.
thinking of you all fondly and in various dirty ways,
JD
oh, and check here for the pcworld.ca blog. i'm going to put up a few updates from macworld-and a couple from home about macworld-so...READ IT!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
the microsoft saga has come to an end
they want it back.
officially, that is.
the console i was so graciously loaned at first is now requested back POSTE HASTE!
no amount of avoiding replying to e-mails and not picking up the phone saved me as a strongly worded e-mail called my bluff and i responded.
i've now got my sights set on the halo 3 branded xbox's that best buy is liquidating as we speak for the same price as the pro model.
why the halo 3 model?
well, not because of a great affinitiy for the brand, but because it isn't another white console (like my wii), it's different looking than most other people's and it comes with a quick charge kit and rechargeable battery for the controller. Those kits cost around $30 or more new, and the whole package is only $399. we'll see if i can get one before they sell out, though.
also finalizing all plans for san francisco and macworld now. looking like it might be a bit cooler than i thought (temperature wise and fun-wise). i was under a great mis-aprehension that every day in san francisco looks like the opening credits for full house. 28 degrees and sunny is reserved for the summer months, and that's just when it's not raining. i was dismayed to find out that it's a lot like vancouver weather (not that i've been there either).
the big disappointment (while not being THAT big a deal) is the pretty much wholly lack of gaming prescence at macworld. CES would have had a number of big names with a few products to see (like soul calibur iv and it's misused star wars licenses *shakes head slowly in depression*).
but maybe steve will come up big with a new product, like the i-rack, or the i-ran i keep hearing about.
*image probably copyrighted, used without permission via flikr...don't tell anybody;)
thinking golden gate thoughts,
JD
officially, that is.
the console i was so graciously loaned at first is now requested back POSTE HASTE!
no amount of avoiding replying to e-mails and not picking up the phone saved me as a strongly worded e-mail called my bluff and i responded.
i've now got my sights set on the halo 3 branded xbox's that best buy is liquidating as we speak for the same price as the pro model.
why the halo 3 model?
well, not because of a great affinitiy for the brand, but because it isn't another white console (like my wii), it's different looking than most other people's and it comes with a quick charge kit and rechargeable battery for the controller. Those kits cost around $30 or more new, and the whole package is only $399. we'll see if i can get one before they sell out, though.
also finalizing all plans for san francisco and macworld now. looking like it might be a bit cooler than i thought (temperature wise and fun-wise). i was under a great mis-aprehension that every day in san francisco looks like the opening credits for full house. 28 degrees and sunny is reserved for the summer months, and that's just when it's not raining. i was dismayed to find out that it's a lot like vancouver weather (not that i've been there either).
the big disappointment (while not being THAT big a deal) is the pretty much wholly lack of gaming prescence at macworld. CES would have had a number of big names with a few products to see (like soul calibur iv and it's misused star wars licenses *shakes head slowly in depression*).
but maybe steve will come up big with a new product, like the i-rack, or the i-ran i keep hearing about.
*image probably copyrighted, used without permission via flikr...don't tell anybody;)thinking golden gate thoughts,
JD
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
tidbits
i know this is the second one for today, but sometimes, you just can't resist!
it's just that i have a few more things to mention and they don't really fit anywhere in particular, or even with each other for that matter...
FIRSTED - the king of kong
this movie rocks. if you haven't seen it, find a way to. there are some dubious editing moves, but hey, can't be any worse than michael moore, can it?
i'm sure if you're a gamer, you know the story already. some guy called billy mitchell held the world record for donkey kong (old school arcade version) for like 20 years. this guy was one of the gamers who was around the first time gaming got popular, in 1982 on. he was even photographed for time magazine when the gaming craze was reaching it's first peak, when the only place you could really play games was at an arcade, and arcades were everywhere.
well this guy is still rocking an 80s haircut, is super into himself, and surrounds himself with yes men and people that seem to adore him no matter how stuck up he is.
along comes small town science teacher, steve wiebe (pronounced WEE-BEE), who breaks billy's record and that's when the controversy starts. it's a runaway plot, with deception, clique mentalities and the lot. it's a lot like high school but the nerds who never grew up own the keys to the clubhouse. see it, but take the plot with a grain of salt, and/or take into consideration the reasons the plot has been challenged by some of the people the movie makes look bad.
SECONDER - suicide dude
i claim no credit for this find. my buddy mark was telling me the stuff he was waiting to come in the mail from ebay and mentioned this little guy. i can't decide if it's hilarious, disturbing or hilarious that it's disturbing!
it's at least the cutest little suicide i've ever seen!
but don't you all go out and get one, because i don't think mark would be too chuffed if everyone had it;).
THIRDEDED - midway open ice
*sigh*
why do i have to be a responsible adult? WHY?
while i was looking up ways to be a better christian, i somehow ended up on kijiji, looking up old arcade cabinets. this isthe first the second becoming a persitent habit of mine, even though i know that my place has no room for it.
it's the equivalent to nba jam, but with hockey! and FOUR PLAYER!!!!
i also can't afford it, since i now need to buy a 360 to replace the one microsoft wants back.
either way, ain't she a beaut! and at $400, i could maybe afford it, at least until jen kicks me out and i have to pay for a new place;).
begrudgingly growing up...
JD
it's just that i have a few more things to mention and they don't really fit anywhere in particular, or even with each other for that matter...
FIRSTED - the king of kong
this movie rocks. if you haven't seen it, find a way to. there are some dubious editing moves, but hey, can't be any worse than michael moore, can it?
i'm sure if you're a gamer, you know the story already. some guy called billy mitchell held the world record for donkey kong (old school arcade version) for like 20 years. this guy was one of the gamers who was around the first time gaming got popular, in 1982 on. he was even photographed for time magazine when the gaming craze was reaching it's first peak, when the only place you could really play games was at an arcade, and arcades were everywhere.
well this guy is still rocking an 80s haircut, is super into himself, and surrounds himself with yes men and people that seem to adore him no matter how stuck up he is.
along comes small town science teacher, steve wiebe (pronounced WEE-BEE), who breaks billy's record and that's when the controversy starts. it's a runaway plot, with deception, clique mentalities and the lot. it's a lot like high school but the nerds who never grew up own the keys to the clubhouse. see it, but take the plot with a grain of salt, and/or take into consideration the reasons the plot has been challenged by some of the people the movie makes look bad.
SECONDER - suicide dude
i claim no credit for this find. my buddy mark was telling me the stuff he was waiting to come in the mail from ebay and mentioned this little guy. i can't decide if it's hilarious, disturbing or hilarious that it's disturbing!
it's at least the cutest little suicide i've ever seen!
but don't you all go out and get one, because i don't think mark would be too chuffed if everyone had it;).
THIRDEDED - midway open ice
*sigh*
why do i have to be a responsible adult? WHY?
while i was looking up ways to be a better christian, i somehow ended up on kijiji, looking up old arcade cabinets. this is
it's the equivalent to nba jam, but with hockey! and FOUR PLAYER!!!!
i also can't afford it, since i now need to buy a 360 to replace the one microsoft wants back.
either way, ain't she a beaut! and at $400, i could maybe afford it, at least until jen kicks me out and i have to pay for a new place;).
begrudgingly growing up...
JD
ces.....
no, it's not me misspelling a common html style sheet again, or trying to spell case but reversing the 's' and 'e' and taking out the 'a'. got it? never mind.
it's the major electronic's convention in las vegas. how major? well, it's probably the biggest convention of it's kind in the world, and the show floor is bigger than multiple (i've been told 100s) of football fields!
what does this mean for me? well, i was supposed to go this year, but our macworld plans got in the way. so this time, i'm watching from the sidelines.
just a few quick things i spotted in the ces coverage, i mean, other than pcworld.ca's own ces blog from correspondant ted kritsonis:
- the new street fighter iv character is revealed (not sure if this was actually at ces, but it's hella weird/interesting)
- can you saylawsuit? new gaming knockoffs that play real old school games, multiple platforms on each unit...
- nyko has fixed the whole ps3/rockband/guitar hero peripheral compatability issues, but it's butt-ugly.
- and tvs are getting hella slim, greener and turning into frigging wall-art.
thanks for tuning in, i'm outie,
JD
it's the major electronic's convention in las vegas. how major? well, it's probably the biggest convention of it's kind in the world, and the show floor is bigger than multiple (i've been told 100s) of football fields!
what does this mean for me? well, i was supposed to go this year, but our macworld plans got in the way. so this time, i'm watching from the sidelines.
just a few quick things i spotted in the ces coverage, i mean, other than pcworld.ca's own ces blog from correspondant ted kritsonis:
- the new street fighter iv character is revealed (not sure if this was actually at ces, but it's hella weird/interesting)
- can you saylawsuit? new gaming knockoffs that play real old school games, multiple platforms on each unit...
- nyko has fixed the whole ps3/rockband/guitar hero peripheral compatability issues, but it's butt-ugly.
- and tvs are getting hella slim, greener and turning into frigging wall-art.
thanks for tuning in, i'm outie,
JD
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
getting in those last precious hours of gaming
i'm shipping out to san francisco, for those of you who don't know where i'm going this weekend.
it's 2008 macworld convention time there, and i've got to get in on the action;).
but i'm still left with one question:
how am i always the last one to find out how cool some things are?
i mean honestly. i played and beat mario galaxy before some people even got their copy, but i just started playing metroid prime: corruption this weekend, and man, is it ever fun!
kind of a gritty story that reminds me so much ofhalo 3 starship troopers. great implement of the shooting with lock on targetting, even if the enemies take way too many shots to down. i mean, they've made samus' arm cannon feel pretty damn weak.
but the platforming is solid, and navigating as the ball (sorry, forgot the proper name) form is wicked fun too, with neat puzzles.
but how is it that i'm the only reviewer that played mario galaxy before metroid prime 3?
anyhow...
i'm also desperately in love with my new tv now.
oh, you've not been introduced...
here she is (via futureshop's site):
It complements my stereo, fits the room, makes movies look good and hd games look even better. I mean, i couldn't have picked/bought a better gift for myself for christmas.
not to say my other gifts weren't rad, but i've been waiting for this one for a while!
seeing the world in HIGH DEFINITION!
JD
*this may not be true for all users, but the increased chance of one is...
it's 2008 macworld convention time there, and i've got to get in on the action;).
but i'm still left with one question:
how am i always the last one to find out how cool some things are?
i mean honestly. i played and beat mario galaxy before some people even got their copy, but i just started playing metroid prime: corruption this weekend, and man, is it ever fun!
kind of a gritty story that reminds me so much of
but the platforming is solid, and navigating as the ball (sorry, forgot the proper name) form is wicked fun too, with neat puzzles.
but how is it that i'm the only reviewer that played mario galaxy before metroid prime 3?
anyhow...
i'm also desperately in love with my new tv now.
oh, you've not been introduced...
here she is (via futureshop's site):
The LG 32LC7D is designed to fit your life and your space. It features LG's exclusive XD Engine, high-definition resolution, fast response time and high contrast ratio which mean no blur or trails, even in fast action sequences like sports. It also causes spontaneous ejaculation!* So bring the big game to a new level of play and everything you watch to a new level of quality with this 32-inch Widescreen LCD HDTV.
It complements my stereo, fits the room, makes movies look good and hd games look even better. I mean, i couldn't have picked/bought a better gift for myself for christmas.
not to say my other gifts weren't rad, but i've been waiting for this one for a while!
seeing the world in HIGH DEFINITION!
JD
*this may not be true for all users, but the increased chance of one is...
Friday, January 4, 2008
gaming news update: 1/4/08
two big stories i just had to kick my two cents in on early today are:
microsoft rewards live players for their patience
so my worst fears are confirmed. it's just a crappy live game. and not just that. it's going to be one game that everyone gets, so you might already own it and they aren't going to replace the couple of weeks that we couldn't use live (and it's still sketchy now!).
m$ says it's because of too many people joining (and using) live over the christmas holidays, other people don't agree.
and almost as big a story, though not half as exciting:
activision is finally handing out new stereo copies of guitar hero iii for wii
i guess all the whinging finally worked.
but to be honest, this was a stupid mistake to make and think that people wouldn't notice. when you're playing battle mode, or any multiplayer mode, the first thing you notice is how cool it is when the audio goes from one side of the screen to the other depending on who's playing. not to mention that most of the music in the game was recorded in stereo!
good to see them finally start cleaning up that mess though...
here's hoping there's some good news today, like burnout paradise will have an optional menu, or that i won't be sick all weekend...
cheers, beers and weirs,
JD
p.s. again, my undying appreciation to kotaku for kicking ass and taking names at getting this stuff up so fast. oh, and the link for replacement disks is only a pre-register, i guess they're still not ready to send them out yet.
microsoft rewards live players for their patience
so my worst fears are confirmed. it's just a crappy live game. and not just that. it's going to be one game that everyone gets, so you might already own it and they aren't going to replace the couple of weeks that we couldn't use live (and it's still sketchy now!).
m$ says it's because of too many people joining (and using) live over the christmas holidays, other people don't agree.
and almost as big a story, though not half as exciting:
activision is finally handing out new stereo copies of guitar hero iii for wii
i guess all the whinging finally worked.
but to be honest, this was a stupid mistake to make and think that people wouldn't notice. when you're playing battle mode, or any multiplayer mode, the first thing you notice is how cool it is when the audio goes from one side of the screen to the other depending on who's playing. not to mention that most of the music in the game was recorded in stereo!
good to see them finally start cleaning up that mess though...
here's hoping there's some good news today, like burnout paradise will have an optional menu, or that i won't be sick all weekend...
cheers, beers and weirs,
JD
p.s. again, my undying appreciation to kotaku for kicking ass and taking names at getting this stuff up so fast. oh, and the link for replacement disks is only a pre-register, i guess they're still not ready to send them out yet.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
street fighter iv
has pretty much not got me stoked at all at this point.
but i guess that was pretty much what i had expected all along.
it's not that i think it will suck, it's just that after all the iterations of street fighter two, and all the iterations of street fighter iii, i really thought they would at least try something new.
oh well, check out thecrazy 3d graphics new gamplay elements brand new characters? same old same old with a 3d skin. go ken and ryu!
hadoken!
JD
sidebar: for some actual, honest to goodness, retro street fighter action, i highly recommend the street fighter: the later years videos on collegehumour. they will satisfy your sick interest in chun-li and are amazingly humorous with great production values for independantly made vids. way better than that jean-claude van damme piece of crap from the 90s.
but i guess that was pretty much what i had expected all along.
it's not that i think it will suck, it's just that after all the iterations of street fighter two, and all the iterations of street fighter iii, i really thought they would at least try something new.
oh well, check out the
hadoken!
JD
sidebar: for some actual, honest to goodness, retro street fighter action, i highly recommend the street fighter: the later years videos on collegehumour. they will satisfy your sick interest in chun-li and are amazingly humorous with great production values for independantly made vids. way better than that jean-claude van damme piece of crap from the 90s.
christmas 2007/2008: a good time
well, it's sure been a long while now, hasn't it?
there are many things afoot, including a stint of wins for my philadelphia flyers, an impending venture into the US for MacWorld 2008 and a brand new tv in my living room.
the unfortunate news is that microsoft has asked for their console back. this means a few things that i've been putting off are coming to play:
- firstly, i need to figure out how to get my own 360
- secondly, well, really there's only really one problem, but it's going to piss me off quite a bit
i'm also intrigued as to what prize microsoft will be giving gold subscribers as a reward forbeing so awesome paying lots of money suffering through a weeks worth of live multiplayer glitches. cash reward? supermodels to feed me grapes on a couch, i think not. maybe some ms points to spend in the arcade or, if they really don't like us, a free rental from the useless selection of movies in marketplace now.
have played the burnout paradise demo that i was pushing so hard and am divided on it.
here are my initial impressions:
the bad:
- i kind of miss the burnout menu system, but it's just a demo right? you'll be able to hit retry in the full game if you want, right?
- there is a lot of slagging you off when you lose, and subsequently drive back across town to retry it, but no fanfare at all if you win
- the star system, that rewards less than first place (as in, you can still get some upgrades or rewards without winning absolutely every race) is gone. gold is gold is gold and this isn't too good
- the missions start of incredibly hard, with a very steep learning curve. took me more than a couple tries to beat my first race, which is not like revenge at all...
the good:
- but it's not all bad with the new burnout demo
- the graphics blew my eyelids open. i seriously can't look away
- the crashes look fricken fantastic! crumple zones all over the car and the windshields shatter too
- the cars handle well and the new trick system is quite fun
so overall, it was a positive experience but has not grabbed me at all in the way that burnout revenge did. it has the potential to be awesome in it's final form, but as of the demo, i'm sitting a little more worried than i was before. i just have a hard time with the new driving around in free space system. i didn't hate the menu system in revenge. it kept the game fresh and varied gameplay for a long time.
but i'm trying to keep my pregidous' out of this until i see a final version.
hope everyone had a very merry christmas and a spastic new years,
JD
there are many things afoot, including a stint of wins for my philadelphia flyers, an impending venture into the US for MacWorld 2008 and a brand new tv in my living room.
the unfortunate news is that microsoft has asked for their console back. this means a few things that i've been putting off are coming to play:
- firstly, i need to figure out how to get my own 360
- secondly, well, really there's only really one problem, but it's going to piss me off quite a bit
i'm also intrigued as to what prize microsoft will be giving gold subscribers as a reward for
have played the burnout paradise demo that i was pushing so hard and am divided on it.
here are my initial impressions:
the bad:
- i kind of miss the burnout menu system, but it's just a demo right? you'll be able to hit retry in the full game if you want, right?
- there is a lot of slagging you off when you lose, and subsequently drive back across town to retry it, but no fanfare at all if you win
- the star system, that rewards less than first place (as in, you can still get some upgrades or rewards without winning absolutely every race) is gone. gold is gold is gold and this isn't too good
- the missions start of incredibly hard, with a very steep learning curve. took me more than a couple tries to beat my first race, which is not like revenge at all...
the good:
- but it's not all bad with the new burnout demo
- the graphics blew my eyelids open. i seriously can't look away
- the crashes look fricken fantastic! crumple zones all over the car and the windshields shatter too
- the cars handle well and the new trick system is quite fun
so overall, it was a positive experience but has not grabbed me at all in the way that burnout revenge did. it has the potential to be awesome in it's final form, but as of the demo, i'm sitting a little more worried than i was before. i just have a hard time with the new driving around in free space system. i didn't hate the menu system in revenge. it kept the game fresh and varied gameplay for a long time.
but i'm trying to keep my pregidous' out of this until i see a final version.
hope everyone had a very merry christmas and a spastic new years,
JD
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