i'm going to need you all to hold your breath right now.
i may have found, through the wonders of google, a pr contact for rockstar games.
for me, this is a little like finding the freaking holy grail.
not that rockstar games are a be-all end-all for me, but it's just that i've been trying to find any form of contact for them for months.
even before my ea/rock band hunt, rockstar was on my list of 'definitely need to get in touch withs'.
oh, and i'm getting semi-jazzed over gta iv. it's shaping up to be quite the game, and a possible return to form for the cats at rockstar. they lost me with san andreas, have kept me unimpressed with the shabby bully port but i'm hoping they rehook me with IV, and make me all misty eyed for the long nights spent awake playing the first GTA and skipped classes in high school to get in some GTA: III action.
if anybody has navigated their site, you'll understand why it caused me so much grief, but huzzah, i will be elated, at least until i figure out that it's a dead e-mail address.
in other news...
here's my review for lost odyssey, as promised.
now that didn't take so long, did it?
anxiously anticipating some brawling,
JD
Monday, March 10, 2008
the waiting game (ssbb edition)
so it's been said before, but is worth noting again that i'm not that excited for super smash bros. brawl.
that is, at least i wasn't.
this weekend i absorbed some of the fever-and stupidity-of the smash bros. fanatics when i visited a larger mall eb games on sunday.
yes, i realize that i was remiss to forget nintendo's decision to release a game on a freakin' sunday, but i nevertheless managed to block out all the nerdling-more than me even-conversations concerning whether stores were sued if they broke street dates and whether or not eb had any copies that weren't already pre-ordered/spoken for.
through that haze of ugliness i did pick up a little excitement-seeing the wall of copies behind the cash at the big mall eb-and now am eagerly anticipating my review copy and starting to worry that the pr firm weren't lying that there is a 'waiting list' and that some folks will have to wait for copies to filter back before getting their hands on one.
i know it's all just anticipation osmosis, but it's fun to be part of it sometimes, isn't it?
i was also contacted by capcom this morning with a new one, an xbox live game review for their new ip, rocketmen.
weird. i've never dealt with review codes or live games before so it'll be interesting if they ever send it to me.
other than that it's just the norm, pumping out a few more past-due reviews (lost odyssey full review and tony hawk: proving grounds should be up this week) and gliding effortlessly through my recently acquired copy of assassin's creed.
stalking the shadows (god that sounds lame),
JD
that is, at least i wasn't.
this weekend i absorbed some of the fever-and stupidity-of the smash bros. fanatics when i visited a larger mall eb games on sunday.
yes, i realize that i was remiss to forget nintendo's decision to release a game on a freakin' sunday, but i nevertheless managed to block out all the nerdling-more than me even-conversations concerning whether stores were sued if they broke street dates and whether or not eb had any copies that weren't already pre-ordered/spoken for.
through that haze of ugliness i did pick up a little excitement-seeing the wall of copies behind the cash at the big mall eb-and now am eagerly anticipating my review copy and starting to worry that the pr firm weren't lying that there is a 'waiting list' and that some folks will have to wait for copies to filter back before getting their hands on one.
i know it's all just anticipation osmosis, but it's fun to be part of it sometimes, isn't it?
i was also contacted by capcom this morning with a new one, an xbox live game review for their new ip, rocketmen.
weird. i've never dealt with review codes or live games before so it'll be interesting if they ever send it to me.other than that it's just the norm, pumping out a few more past-due reviews (lost odyssey full review and tony hawk: proving grounds should be up this week) and gliding effortlessly through my recently acquired copy of assassin's creed.
stalking the shadows (god that sounds lame),
JD
p.s. just ran into the runner/courier guy for the pr firm that handles nintendo's stuff as i was handing back a very late held copy of the wii fire emblem game and he had nothing to hand me. not a good sign. not a good sign at all.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
issues of parenting and bully(ing)
so rockstar has re-released bully on two new consoles and with it comes the controversy.
oh rockstar, where would you be without controversy?
i mean, i get it, teachers want to protect children from bullying. they want to see violence that is too close to a schoolyard and they want to think that somehow it will be another columbine, or somehow just a widespread increase in locker stuffing, slingshot toting bart simpson wannabes...
the real truth in this, at least to me, is that all they're doing is highlighting a small genre of game and helping rockstar shift copies.
after a quick check, it seems the esrb rated this one teen.
there's no guns, no sex, no alien boobies on gritty looking soldier (a la the mass effect controversy). nope, this is a fairly clean game for rockstar.
but what seems to still cause controversy is that it happens in a school, with a 15 year old protagonist who takes vengeance on people who mistreat him.
now i'm not saying that this is admirable or even tolerable behaviour and i had my share of beatdowns in elementary school. but it's hardly the kind of content to get up in arms over.
oh yeah, and you can kiss dudes in this. not sex, not anything particularly lascivious, but you can have same-gender boyfriends.
it's hardly worth even caring about, seeing as how most 13 year olds i've met play call of duty 4 (which has a lot more than slingshots) and grand theft auto: san andreas (which subs actual prostitutes for girlfriends and grenades for stink bombs).
i know, i know, i agree. they shouldn't be playing those games, but the reality is, most of them are. most of the male (and female) younger set are getting their grubby little paws on these games and they're doing it younger than ever. they're not playing carnival games, no. they're playing games with guns, sex, and whatnot and i don't think actively trying to take them away is the right way to fix the problems.
i think it's all on the parents.
sorry, parents, i love you, but you have two duties towards video games and that's it.
1) know what your kid is playing.
it's dead easy with the current generation of consoles. i know specifically that both the wii and the xbox 360 keep a log of the games played and the wii even shows how much time was spent on each.
but that's not just what i meant. you should also know what your kid is playing. i know they think you're uncool and you want to be. but for god sakes, just play the game once. play it with them, or sit with them and have them explain it. if that fails, look it up on the internet.
2) contextualize.
now, some would take that first point and run off and take the games away. i'm against this kind of behaviour because a) it makes whatever you're taking away seem more desirable and b) they're going to find a way to play it anyways.
all kids have friends whose parents are less observant (or more open) than you.
just because you take it away doesn't mean it's gone.
so, in light of this, along with playing the games, try to explain the context to your kid. let them know that, while in a game it's ok, that in real life, it's not as simple.
this may seem like common sense, but you have no idea how many kids can't see the blurry lines between media and reality.
in my day, it was kids copying wrestling moves and injuring and killing each other. now it can be just as dangerous if there's no adult figure there to explain it.
the bottom line:
if you make games taboo, it just means kids will do it behind your back and at times when they've got no help understanding the images they see.
game with your kids, and stay educated. as always the best offense is a good defense, and the best defense knows the other teams plays.
sorry for the preachiness,
JD
oh rockstar, where would you be without controversy?
i mean, i get it, teachers want to protect children from bullying. they want to see violence that is too close to a schoolyard and they want to think that somehow it will be another columbine, or somehow just a widespread increase in locker stuffing, slingshot toting bart simpson wannabes...
the real truth in this, at least to me, is that all they're doing is highlighting a small genre of game and helping rockstar shift copies.
after a quick check, it seems the esrb rated this one teen.
there's no guns, no sex, no alien boobies on gritty looking soldier (a la the mass effect controversy). nope, this is a fairly clean game for rockstar.
but what seems to still cause controversy is that it happens in a school, with a 15 year old protagonist who takes vengeance on people who mistreat him.
now i'm not saying that this is admirable or even tolerable behaviour and i had my share of beatdowns in elementary school. but it's hardly the kind of content to get up in arms over.
oh yeah, and you can kiss dudes in this. not sex, not anything particularly lascivious, but you can have same-gender boyfriends.
it's hardly worth even caring about, seeing as how most 13 year olds i've met play call of duty 4 (which has a lot more than slingshots) and grand theft auto: san andreas (which subs actual prostitutes for girlfriends and grenades for stink bombs).
i know, i know, i agree. they shouldn't be playing those games, but the reality is, most of them are. most of the male (and female) younger set are getting their grubby little paws on these games and they're doing it younger than ever. they're not playing carnival games, no. they're playing games with guns, sex, and whatnot and i don't think actively trying to take them away is the right way to fix the problems.
i think it's all on the parents.
sorry, parents, i love you, but you have two duties towards video games and that's it.
1) know what your kid is playing.
it's dead easy with the current generation of consoles. i know specifically that both the wii and the xbox 360 keep a log of the games played and the wii even shows how much time was spent on each.
but that's not just what i meant. you should also know what your kid is playing. i know they think you're uncool and you want to be. but for god sakes, just play the game once. play it with them, or sit with them and have them explain it. if that fails, look it up on the internet.
2) contextualize.
now, some would take that first point and run off and take the games away. i'm against this kind of behaviour because a) it makes whatever you're taking away seem more desirable and b) they're going to find a way to play it anyways.
all kids have friends whose parents are less observant (or more open) than you.
just because you take it away doesn't mean it's gone.
so, in light of this, along with playing the games, try to explain the context to your kid. let them know that, while in a game it's ok, that in real life, it's not as simple.
this may seem like common sense, but you have no idea how many kids can't see the blurry lines between media and reality.
in my day, it was kids copying wrestling moves and injuring and killing each other. now it can be just as dangerous if there's no adult figure there to explain it.
the bottom line:
if you make games taboo, it just means kids will do it behind your back and at times when they've got no help understanding the images they see.
game with your kids, and stay educated. as always the best offense is a good defense, and the best defense knows the other teams plays.
sorry for the preachiness,
JD
Thursday, February 28, 2008
when it rains...(podcast list)
so i've been thinking.
i think it's fair to assume that most people have an ipod or an mp3 player (note the distinction that no, an ipod is not just an mp3 player) these days.
to get the full use out of it, one cannot subsist on a diet of fallout boy, pearl jam and cobra starship alone...
for me, i filled the gap that comes when you can look at 6 gigs of music and not find anything that you haven't listened to in a while, with podcasts.
podcasts can be anything, but for me they need a few elements to be listenable.
i like recordings that don't ignore audio rules, like quality mics, mixing, levels and planned topics and i like personalities.
so here is my short list of podcasts that make me laugh and look a little crazy on the subway:
1) radio bam - yes, this is not a podcast. it's actually a ripped (see: stolen) mp3 of bam margera's radio show on sirius satellite radio, but because it's on sirius, there are no holds barred as to the content or language on it. it's always funny, always interesting (if you find skateboarding or jackass antics even remotely funny) and sometimes he gets some rad guests.
2) smodcast - another pseudo celeb podcast here. kevin smith (auteur of clerks, mallrats, dogma, chasing amy, jersey girl, jay and bob strike back, clerks ii and now filming zack and miri make a porno) and his longtime friend/producer/fellow canadian scott mosier make a properly recorded and well produced podcast with only their own banter filling almost an hour. while it's toted as being weekly, expect busy smith times (like now, since he's currently filming the previously mentioned flick starring seth 'the man' rogen) to have blackout weeks where no podcast surfaces. always racy, most often funny, a quality download.
3) arrow pointing down - a great little find and it's brand new to boot. jeff gerstmann (formerly of gamespot until a very scrutinized and very public firing*) and another former gamespot editor, ryan davis, make a very odd-topic and quick moving podcast about, ostensibly video games, but they often spend more time talking about gatorade, candy bars, and sleeping til 2 now that they're both out of work. if you like video games and funny dudes shooting the shit, this is another great one.
that's it. three. but i'm sure there are more good ones out there, possibly better than my picks, but for some reason i thought that maybe people might like to see what i was listening to.
layabout love to you all (as in, that doesn't involve moving from a prone position in front of the tv, controller in hand),
JD
i think it's fair to assume that most people have an ipod or an mp3 player (note the distinction that no, an ipod is not just an mp3 player) these days.
to get the full use out of it, one cannot subsist on a diet of fallout boy, pearl jam and cobra starship alone...
for me, i filled the gap that comes when you can look at 6 gigs of music and not find anything that you haven't listened to in a while, with podcasts.
podcasts can be anything, but for me they need a few elements to be listenable.
i like recordings that don't ignore audio rules, like quality mics, mixing, levels and planned topics and i like personalities.
so here is my short list of podcasts that make me laugh and look a little crazy on the subway:
1) radio bam - yes, this is not a podcast. it's actually a ripped (see: stolen) mp3 of bam margera's radio show on sirius satellite radio, but because it's on sirius, there are no holds barred as to the content or language on it. it's always funny, always interesting (if you find skateboarding or jackass antics even remotely funny) and sometimes he gets some rad guests.
2) smodcast - another pseudo celeb podcast here. kevin smith (auteur of clerks, mallrats, dogma, chasing amy, jersey girl, jay and bob strike back, clerks ii and now filming zack and miri make a porno) and his longtime friend/producer/fellow canadian scott mosier make a properly recorded and well produced podcast with only their own banter filling almost an hour. while it's toted as being weekly, expect busy smith times (like now, since he's currently filming the previously mentioned flick starring seth 'the man' rogen) to have blackout weeks where no podcast surfaces. always racy, most often funny, a quality download.
3) arrow pointing down - a great little find and it's brand new to boot. jeff gerstmann (formerly of gamespot until a very scrutinized and very public firing*) and another former gamespot editor, ryan davis, make a very odd-topic and quick moving podcast about, ostensibly video games, but they often spend more time talking about gatorade, candy bars, and sleeping til 2 now that they're both out of work. if you like video games and funny dudes shooting the shit, this is another great one.
that's it. three. but i'm sure there are more good ones out there, possibly better than my picks, but for some reason i thought that maybe people might like to see what i was listening to.
layabout love to you all (as in, that doesn't involve moving from a prone position in front of the tv, controller in hand),
JD
*for more on gerstmann-gate read: here and the one below it. there are some links.
long time no update
well, i haven't updated in a while because...well...i have very little to say.
i mean, it's rare that i ever have nothing to say about a topic, it's just that there isn't a whole lot going on that interests me right now.
smash bros.
smash bros isn't out til march 3rd, and i'm not guaranteed a copy right then either. i guess, as opposed to fire emblem and other less desirables, the pr company that front nintendo in canada has been inundated with requests for loaners of this particular game.
now, if i were nintendo, i would want every person who could write about smash, to have a copy in their possession before launch, but that's just me. they're so super secretive about the unlockables in the game, the new characters, and basically everything but the main brawling that i don't think exposure is even a concern.
with the dojo and the fact that most American (or Japanese i guess) companies put very little money into Canadian press, i've not got my hopes up.
gaming these days
but it's not to say that i'm not gaming. in fact, the predominant use of my time recently has been plugging away at a few select games.
i've given up on mass effect entirely, so that's one thing i've stopped worrying about. there's just too much talking and too much walking. it's too much like real life i guess, but with more aliens and guns.
nhl 2008
i am almost through my inaugral nhl 2008 season finally! i've had the game for many moons but always played a few games here and there. i mean, i love the game and the new controls, i just kept getting rad games to take up my time.
lost odyssey
i've also breached the third disk in lost odyssey and i'm finding that, with a good chunk of the game done, i'm still loving the combat but finding it hard to sit down and play.
why? because once you get into a dungeon or new area, it's damn hard to put down.
for one, the save points later in the game can be few and far between. now, i rarely die in these instances, but the situation between me and my fiancee tends to detoriorate as i keep saying 'just one more minute...i seriously just need to find the next save point...'. this problem is documented here on kotaku.
skate.
and when i'm not playing hockey, or defeating giant bugs and enchanted thugs in lost odyssey, i'm battling xbox live and ea nation to get some online skate action in.
i don't think i've been this obsessed with a sports game since the first two tony hawks came out. it's really really good. course, connecting to games is a pain in the arse and i can't figure out if the matchmaking fails so many times due to ea, live!, my internet connection or some combination of two or three of those ingredients.
so, i can say that at least i'll keep busy until smash, mario kart wii, or anything else compelling are released.
later days,
JD
i mean, it's rare that i ever have nothing to say about a topic, it's just that there isn't a whole lot going on that interests me right now.
smash bros.
smash bros isn't out til march 3rd, and i'm not guaranteed a copy right then either. i guess, as opposed to fire emblem and other less desirables, the pr company that front nintendo in canada has been inundated with requests for loaners of this particular game.
now, if i were nintendo, i would want every person who could write about smash, to have a copy in their possession before launch, but that's just me. they're so super secretive about the unlockables in the game, the new characters, and basically everything but the main brawling that i don't think exposure is even a concern.
with the dojo and the fact that most American (or Japanese i guess) companies put very little money into Canadian press, i've not got my hopes up.
gaming these days
but it's not to say that i'm not gaming. in fact, the predominant use of my time recently has been plugging away at a few select games.
i've given up on mass effect entirely, so that's one thing i've stopped worrying about. there's just too much talking and too much walking. it's too much like real life i guess, but with more aliens and guns.
nhl 2008
i am almost through my inaugral nhl 2008 season finally! i've had the game for many moons but always played a few games here and there. i mean, i love the game and the new controls, i just kept getting rad games to take up my time.
lost odyssey
i've also breached the third disk in lost odyssey and i'm finding that, with a good chunk of the game done, i'm still loving the combat but finding it hard to sit down and play.
why? because once you get into a dungeon or new area, it's damn hard to put down.
for one, the save points later in the game can be few and far between. now, i rarely die in these instances, but the situation between me and my fiancee tends to detoriorate as i keep saying 'just one more minute...i seriously just need to find the next save point...'. this problem is documented here on kotaku.
skate.
and when i'm not playing hockey, or defeating giant bugs and enchanted thugs in lost odyssey, i'm battling xbox live and ea nation to get some online skate action in.
i don't think i've been this obsessed with a sports game since the first two tony hawks came out. it's really really good. course, connecting to games is a pain in the arse and i can't figure out if the matchmaking fails so many times due to ea, live!, my internet connection or some combination of two or three of those ingredients.
so, i can say that at least i'll keep busy until smash, mario kart wii, or anything else compelling are released.
later days,
JD
Thursday, February 21, 2008
and now's my time to chime in...
so, the much rumoured commodore games to vc move has happened.
annouced at GDC (games developers conference) today and reported on kotaku, it seems that there will indeed be commodore 64 games on the wii's virtual console.
my first thoughts were 'yeah! i get to play all those games i loved playing in grade 3 on huge floppy disks with that worn out joystick in ms. davis' class!'. but then i read a little lower.
excuse my french but, pardon eh moi?
you're saying that games that ran on a computer i wouldn't use as a paperweight now...well, maybe as a paperweight actually, but anyways, games that run on a computer that's over 20 years old are going to cost the same as NES games? in my first-and hopefully only use of internet lingo in this blog-WTF!
i mean come on! how is that the same value as an NES game. i'll gladly pay $5 for a working and easy to boot version of blades of steel or kirby, but commodore 64 games? f no.
just had to chip that in there. i think it's patently ridiculous.
either way, i've had not much more success with lost odyssey this week, haven't touched rock band for that same amount of time and got the skate. glitch i've heard so much about.
but that's about my week as it stands. the rest of it? there's a guy coming to look at our pipes (not like that you dirty minded jerks) tonight to try and fix the persistant wet patch in the middle of our living room (yay for carpet!) and i'm going to try to get off the first disk of lost odyssey by the weekend.
happy trails, pardners...
JD
annouced at GDC (games developers conference) today and reported on kotaku, it seems that there will indeed be commodore 64 games on the wii's virtual console.
my first thoughts were 'yeah! i get to play all those games i loved playing in grade 3 on huge floppy disks with that worn out joystick in ms. davis' class!'. but then i read a little lower.
The first titles to appear on the VC will be International Karate and Uridium, priced to go at 500 Wii points each.
excuse my french but, pardon eh moi?
you're saying that games that ran on a computer i wouldn't use as a paperweight now...well, maybe as a paperweight actually, but anyways, games that run on a computer that's over 20 years old are going to cost the same as NES games? in my first-and hopefully only use of internet lingo in this blog-WTF!
i mean come on! how is that the same value as an NES game. i'll gladly pay $5 for a working and easy to boot version of blades of steel or kirby, but commodore 64 games? f no.
just had to chip that in there. i think it's patently ridiculous.
either way, i've had not much more success with lost odyssey this week, haven't touched rock band for that same amount of time and got the skate. glitch i've heard so much about.
but that's about my week as it stands. the rest of it? there's a guy coming to look at our pipes (not like that you dirty minded jerks) tonight to try and fix the persistant wet patch in the middle of our living room (yay for carpet!) and i'm going to try to get off the first disk of lost odyssey by the weekend.
happy trails, pardners...
JD
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
what i'm playing this week (whatchoo playin'?)
so, as the man who is always at least a year behind the times, i'm digging on two games that are way old, and one that is brand new this week.
right now, i'm dedicating the majority of my time to completing every last offline objective in skate. holy crap is it good. but i'm guessing you know this, as it came out like 6 months ago.
and even further back, dead rising came out. yes i've had a 360 for only a couple months, so give me a little credit, but oh man, once you get above around level 14, this game becomes fun defined. i've plateued as of late, but i may go back to it for a few more achievements and unlockables.
but most recently, i was sent, without asking for it, a copy of the 4-disk epic lost odyssey.
now, before i got ahold of a copy, i was seriously making fun of this game.
i mean, not only was it made by mistwalker, the company behind the atrociously long and boring blue dragon, which i have infamously not spent more than 2 hours on, but it was rumoured to clock in at 4 disks long, and was touted as 'too simplistic an rpg to be exceptional'.
well, take everything you've heard so far about lost odyssey and forget it.
like the protagonist in the story, get amnesia, and then pick up this game.*
i mean, if you hate rpgs, or if you've never played ff vii (or don't know what that means) then skip it.
but for everyone else, this is epic. it's a lot of reading, yes. and it's a lot of long cut scenes. there's also a fairly simplistic fighting and weapon/skill management system, but this is what makes the game so fun.
it's not just about the battles and the collectibles (though those themselves are still really, really fun), the game is as much about the story as it is about the journey.
it's just a rad rad japanese cinema epic, housed in a four disk game. i really expected to hate it, but i've been missing out on precious hours playing skate for this game. and as for value, it's 4 disks, which i've heard are almost 10 hours apiece if you're not snooping around too much, so you get a pretty nice ton of gameplay.
it may be a little too much like ff vii, and that may have something to do with why i'm so infatuated with it, but either way, the implication of a game being too much like ff vii is preposterous to begin with. it just increases its cred.
either way, i'm having fun with a game i expected to yawn at and place neatly in the pile marked 'don't open til bored and poor' with tony hawk: proving ground and blue dragon.
dreaming dreams of a thousand years,
JD
right now, i'm dedicating the majority of my time to completing every last offline objective in skate. holy crap is it good. but i'm guessing you know this, as it came out like 6 months ago.
and even further back, dead rising came out. yes i've had a 360 for only a couple months, so give me a little credit, but oh man, once you get above around level 14, this game becomes fun defined. i've plateued as of late, but i may go back to it for a few more achievements and unlockables.
but most recently, i was sent, without asking for it, a copy of the 4-disk epic lost odyssey.
now, before i got ahold of a copy, i was seriously making fun of this game.
i mean, not only was it made by mistwalker, the company behind the atrociously long and boring blue dragon, which i have infamously not spent more than 2 hours on, but it was rumoured to clock in at 4 disks long, and was touted as 'too simplistic an rpg to be exceptional'.
well, take everything you've heard so far about lost odyssey and forget it.
like the protagonist in the story, get amnesia, and then pick up this game.*
i mean, if you hate rpgs, or if you've never played ff vii (or don't know what that means) then skip it.
but for everyone else, this is epic. it's a lot of reading, yes. and it's a lot of long cut scenes. there's also a fairly simplistic fighting and weapon/skill management system, but this is what makes the game so fun.
it's not just about the battles and the collectibles (though those themselves are still really, really fun), the game is as much about the story as it is about the journey.
it's just a rad rad japanese cinema epic, housed in a four disk game. i really expected to hate it, but i've been missing out on precious hours playing skate for this game. and as for value, it's 4 disks, which i've heard are almost 10 hours apiece if you're not snooping around too much, so you get a pretty nice ton of gameplay.
it may be a little too much like ff vii, and that may have something to do with why i'm so infatuated with it, but either way, the implication of a game being too much like ff vii is preposterous to begin with. it just increases its cred.
either way, i'm having fun with a game i expected to yawn at and place neatly in the pile marked 'don't open til bored and poor' with tony hawk: proving ground and blue dragon.
dreaming dreams of a thousand years,
JD
*if you need help with this, there is a rad episode of south park where cartman attempts to knock himself out so he can travel back in time in a vision to see the signing of the declaration of independence and not have to do research for his report. it's f-ing fantastic! it'll give all you kiddies loads of great ideas for conking yourself out, amnesia or no...
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