Girly Game Chatter

Inside the Mind of Tarantino

2009-08-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

The Future Is Now

2009-08-29T16:26:00.000-07:00

Want the ultimate gaming experience no mater where you are? Well let me introduce you to dual screen laptops.

Notebook designers gScreen are coming out with these dual screen laptops sometime in the near future. The dual screens come at a price though, not only does this beast weigh in at a hefty 12 pounds but it also is going to take a good bite out of your wallet. 3000 dollars is the rumored asking price and no solid specs have been released yet. So is it worth it? I sure as heck hope so because this is a beautiful laptop.

Kurt Cobain in Guitar Hero 5

2009-08-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

Guitar Hero 5 has found its self in a bit of controversy over the addition of Kurt Cobain to the game's playable characters. Cobain was know for wanting to stay true to his fans and more importantly his work. Some have even speculated that the fear of selling out had a significant role in his alleged suicide. So is his portrayal in Guitar Hero 5 a disgrace or a tribute?

I'm not really sure that having his likeness in the game is even really selling out at all. Guitar Hero is a celebration of music and a way for fans to connect to their favorite bands and songs. Now that Cobain is no longer with us all we have is his music, so something like this, something that allows us to experience his music in a new light seems more like a gift to fans more than anything. Out of all the merchandise that has Cobain's face stamped on it this seems to be the most honorable to the mans ideals. His likeness has been used for much worse things, the man has his own line of converse and action figure for crying out loud.

Bryan Singer Set to Direct Battlestar Movie

2009-08-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

Bryan Singer the director of such movies as X-Men I & II, Superman Returns, and Valkyrie is set to direct an upcoming Battlestar Galactica movie. The strangest part is that this movie is going to be completely separate from ~~SciFi~~ SyFy's original series Battlestar Galactica. If any other director were attached to the project I would say leave the series alone, it still has Ron Moore's urination all over it, but because its Bryan Singer I'm actually very curious to see how he recreates the series. Hes got a lot to live up too, even though the ending to Ron Moore's BSG was disappointing to say the least, he still did an amazing job recreating the series and making the characters lovable and incredibly real. I wish him good luck but I do have one small request; can Katie Sackhoff still be StarBuck?

Love Fallout? Me Too

2009-08-12T12:53:00.001-07:00

Second Skin

2009-08-10T00:47:00.001-07:00

Second Skin is an interesting look into the world of gaming. Its a documentary that follows the lives of several hard core MMO players. If you're interested in gaming culture I would definitely give this one a look and its free on Hulu so there you go.

The Nostalgia Factor

2009-08-10T00:37:00.000-07:00

As the fifth game in my 360 collection died on me today I can't help but to miss the days of the cartridge. Thinking about it took me down nostalgia lane and in no time I was digging through my closet looking for my old SNES . My heart started to race as i found the dusty old box marked "Nintendo" in faded black sharpie. I ripped the box open to find all my favorite old games and rushed towards the TV to anxiously give them another go. Of course after I had to preform CPR on most of them everything still worked. The games. The console. Everything. The feeling of the old controller in my hand took me right back to when I was little and fighting with my brother over the pizza boxes in the Ninja Turtle games.

This got me thinking. Is my X-Box 360 really going to hold up long enough for me to find it in a dusty old box and actually play it again? I'm already on my second 360 and more games have died on me with this console then any others combined. Obviously the 360 is a much more complex and delicate system then the SNES so I wouldn't expect it to have the same life span, but does this mean the nostalgia factor dies with the 360?

I'm sure Microsoft's future consoles will offer some sort of service to download games from the 360 but there's always something lost in translation. Would Perfect Dark be as fun if you couldn't play with the awkwardness of the N64 controller, trying to play Contra without blowing in the bottom of the cartridge till you turn blue, or Duck Hunt without the light gun? Is this charge in to new and better technology worth the loss of the reliability and replayability of our consoles?

All I'm suggesting is that we slow down a bit till we can create these next gen consoles with a nice strong healthy life span. I fear that if we lose the nostalgia factor we will lose a little of the heart of the video game industry.

New Where the Wild Things Are Trailer!!!

2009-08-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for this movie!! It looks fantastic and really seems to capture the spirit of the book.

Please Hollywood, don't let be down

Peter Jacksons Lovely Bones Trailer

2009-08-05T15:46:00.000-07:00

Peter Jackson, Susan Sarandon, and Rachel Weisz
What more could you want?

Girlz Play Too: Not Really, and This is Why

2009-08-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

Because Sony would like to scare more ~~girls~~ girlz away from gaming they have recently unveiled their "Girlz Play Too" PSP bundle. The bundle includes a lilac PSP (omg!) and the following games which have been deemed girl friendly: Patapon 2, Loco Roco 2, Hannah Montana: Rock out the Show, Petz, Pangya: Fantasy Golf, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

I'm going to skip the part where I complain about how utterly offensive this marketing campaign is and get right to the point; this is what scares girls away from gaming. The biggest problem is this distinction of the "girl game" and the fact that most of these games are crap. These are the games that scare many of the pre-teen consumers away from the hobby. A game doesn't need to be about cooking or Disney princesses for a girl to enjoy it. Girls like blowing things up too.

To Sony's credit they did include Patapon and Loco Roco in the bundle. These games do have quite a bit of merit and are certainly better additions then Hannah Montana and Petz. They really just need to scrape this whole marketing campaign. Its offensive and its probably hurting them more then its helping. If they really want to attract girls to gaming then maybe they should feature some heroins who actually dress themselves properly. If they want to make a Lilac PSP that's fine, I like Lilac, but they don't need to bundle it with a bunch of sterilized games.

Thundercats Hooooo!

2009-08-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

New concept art for the upcoming Thundercats Movie. Is anyone else really creeped out by this? If this is how weird Lion-O is going to look I don't even want to see Snarf.

Good new everyone!!!

2009-07-31T13:56:00.001-07:00

As I'm sure most of you had have heard that Fox had threatened to replace the original voice actors for the upcoming Futurama revival over some silly payment disagreements. Well good news! They finally came to terms and the whole cast has signed to do another 26 episodes!!!It makes a girl want to do the Bender.

YAY!!

New Alien Prequel

2009-07-31T13:28:00.000-07:00

But wait, this might actually be a good thing. I know Hollywood is pretty gosh darned determined to destroy everything we hold dear (I'm looking at you Shia) but don't lose hope for this one yet. None other then Ridley Scott (director of the original Alien movies) is set to direct the prequel. No word if Sigourney Weaver is on board or how the prequel plans on expanding the story but all that I can say is that I actually have hope for this movie.

The Game Show

2009-07-31T13:16:00.000-07:00

In need of a weekly fix of whats going down in the gaming world? Well look no further then The Game Show which is a live stream full of gaming goodness. You can take part in the show every Friday night at 8pm PT (11pm ET) and win all sorts of awesome goodies. I swear no one is paying me to say this (not that anyone would), I honestly just enjoy the show and would like to spread the love.

Natal: More Then Just a Gimmick?

2009-07-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

The more and more I hear about Natal the more I think why? Sure the technology is exciting and it looks cool when functioning on the dashboard but I can't really see it functioning in a serious game. I'm sure it will work great in the inevitable Wii sports clone but I just can't see it working in a game that aims to please more then just the causal gamer.

I envision the movements of Natal being infinitely more awkward then those of the Wii. Because there is no controller with Natal the player must be relied on to make all of the movements in the game. So what does this mean for getting around in your average game setting? Do I have to run around the 5 x 5 space in front of my TV? Or are we resorted to some sort of railway system as show in Peter Molyneux's demo? Combat would seem a bit troublesome as well. Sure simple swordplay would be easy enough with a few props but how about a gun? There are no buttons, how are you supposed to pull the trigger?!

Besides if I'm playing a game that requires me to run around my living room like an idiot it’s going to totally take me out of the experience. Especially if I can see how dumb I look via my on screen avatar. This is the biggest problem Natal faces. It requires the player to be so active that it will almost always keep the player aware that they are playing a game. That’s the beauty of a controller; it’s become like second nature to most gamers, allowing them to be sucked into the game. This is why I think Sony and Nintendo made the right move in having motion controllers. Sure you can still run around your living room looking like an idiot but you can also chill on your couch playing more or less like you would with a normal controller.

So maybe their intention for Natal is to mainly function as a casual gaming device. Are you really going to shell out god knows how much money just to play some silly sports titles?

Of course who knows, maybe this will be one of the best things to happen to the gaming industry since the analog stick. It may spark the imagination of developers and result in ~~hundreds of point and click and sports titles~~ a series or creative and innovative games.

LoLs at Hitler

2009-07-28T09:29:00.000-07:00

Battlestar Galactica Has Impact on UN

2009-07-27T17:04:00.000-07:00

Some time ago the Battlestar Galactica crew was invited to the UN as guest speakers (and Whoopi Goldberg?). They came to talk about some of the hot button topics that the show focused on and how it related to the real world (you can see the full conference here). Well it looks like the words of Edward James Olmos had quite an effect on the UN. As of recently the UN has vowed to never use the word "race" as a cultural definition. Instead it may only be used to refer to the only race there is, the human race.

I never thought I'd see the day where a ~~Scifi~~ Syfy original series would actually have an impact on anything outside of the geek community. This really is an incredible story and I give major kudos to the Battlestar Galactica team.

New ODST Trailer

2009-07-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

All my negative thoughts about ODST just went out the window

New Prince of Persia Screens

2009-07-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

Hes wearing leather pants.....with a matching leather jacket.
Hope for this movie < Hope for Asteroids movie

New Tron Trailer

2009-07-25T12:16:00.000-07:00

Top 5 Picks For Samus Aran Casting

2009-07-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

A Metroid movie has been on the rumor wheel for years now and with the talks of Asteroids heading for the silver screen I figure Metroid can't be far behind. If this video game adaptation ever does comes to life it needs to be handled with the utmost care. Samus Aran is a ground breaking character in the video game world. Why, you ask? Well She:
A. Stars in her own long running franchise
B. Kicks some serious ass
C. Never plays the "damsel in distress"
D. Can take care of her self
E. Wears body armor that is actually effective in battle ( As in not having her boobs/ass hanging out)
F. Her games place absolutely NO emphasis on the fact that she is a woman. She is simply a bounty hunter.

How many other female video game characters can you think of that fit this description?

That's what I thought.

So the woman that ends up playing her on the big screen needs to do the character justice. So here are my top 5 picks:

5. Naomi Watts

Watts has the ability to express a great range of emotion and personality even with the absence of dialogue. As Samus Aran really isn't one for words this is a must have for her on screen portrayal. Plus she looks the part and already has some practice with giant CGI monsters.

Where You Might Have Seen Her: 21 Grams, Eastern Promises, King Kong, The Ring

4. Keira Knightley

Not only is Knightley beautiful but she also has one of those faces that lets you know she could completely kick your ass. Shes played a bounty hunter before and knows her way around guns. Shes great at playing characters that are soft yet have a bit of spunk, which is exactly what Samus needs.

Where You Might Have Seen Her: Atonement, Domino, The Jacket, Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy

3. Milia Jovovich

No one plays kick ass with a hint of crazy better then Millia Jovovich. Not to mention she maneges to portray calm and collected all at the same time. She already has experience playing female revolutionaries (Joan of Arc) and has starred in several nerd-tastic films.

Where You Might Have Seen Her: Dazed and Confused, The Fifth Element, The Messenger, Resident Evil series

2. Carrie-Anne Moss

Moss brings a lot of depth to her characters. She plays smart, prudent, stern, and dangerous extremely well and, like Watts, doesn't need a whole lot of lines to convey it. Shes got a look about her that not only gives off "I'm going to kick your ass" but "I've been planning it since you walked in the room". She can definitely give off the bronze and the brain that Samus needs.

Where You Might Have Seen Her: Disturbia, The Matrix Series, Suspect Zero

1. Katie Sackhoff

That's right, my number one pick for Samus Aran is none other then her badassness, Miss Katie Sackhoff. In my mind she is absolutely perfect for this role. She is the ultimate bad ass but she does it with a finesse. She has a subtlety that allows her to bring depth and complexity to her characters. Angelina Jolie is to Laura Croft as Katie Sackhoff is to Samus Aran.

Where You Might Have Seen Her: Battlestar Galactica, Bionic Woman, The Education of Max Bickford

Big Video Game Comic Books on Their Way.

2009-07-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

Both Mass Effect and Prince of Persia have comic book prequels on the horizon. Mass Effect: Redemption is a prequel to the upcoming Mass Effect 2. The comic is set to fill in some of the blank spots between the two Mass Effect games and promises to deliver some very big surprises for fans. Mac Walters is set to be the writer, which is extremely fitting as he also wrote the script for Mass Effect 2. Redemption should hit store shelves January 6, 2010.

Jordan Mechner is the writer behind the upcoming Prince of Persia movie and is also writing for the upcoming comic book. The comic is a prequel to the first game of the series, The Sands of Time, and plans to extend into the games storyline. The comic is set to be in stores by April of next year and more information about the comic will be reviled at this years Comi-Con.

Super Monkey Ball Step and Roll

2009-07-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

Ready for that inexplicable desire to trap monkeys in a clear plastic ball and throw them off a cliff if only to vent your frustrations? Well I hope so because the next installment in the Super Monkey Ball series is on its way to the Wii and its taking advantage of the Wii Fit board.

Pop Up Buttons for Touchscreen

2009-07-19T17:59:00.000-07:00

Don't get me wrong, this looks like a cool concept and I would be interested to see how its incorporated into everyday technology but how useful is it? I mean would having pop up buttons on an ATM really improve your experience?

Prepared to Get A Whole Lot Less Excited for the KOTOR MMO?

2009-07-19T16:23:00.000-07:00

Today I stumbled upon a behind the scenes video for the voice over system in the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO. Through out the video they showcase quite a bit of game play footage...this is where we run into trouble. I understand that this is an MMO and the graphics aren't going to be top notch but this game looks worse then its predecessors ( featured on the original X-box, and trust me, these games weren't know for their beauty ). It seems they have dumped the relatively realistic style of the older games in favor of a more cartoony look. And in my opinion its not really working for them. The colors and lighting look bland and something about the characters faces is extremely unsettling. The trailer that was released earlier this year painted an entirely different picture for the art direction of the game. I mean honestly, how can you go from this:

to this:

I know that trailers generally have better graphics then the actual game but this is just ridicules, its not even the same art style! To be fair the game is to be released some time in 2010, so I'm sure its in for some graphical updates ( hopefully a lot ), but it just seems like a bad move to showcase a whole lot of crappy looking graphics in your hype videos.

They also showed how the conversation system would work between the player and NPCs. From what I can tell its more or less the same system used in Mass Effect. Which, surprise, I have a few gripes with. In a game that emphasizes the immersion factor so much I really think you should be able to pick exactly what you're going to say instead of a small summery of it. In other words I rather them stick with the original KOTOR system. I can't tell you how many times I picked a seeming charming response in Mass Effect only to regret it as I ended up sounding like a pompous ass. The game has also taken the liberty of voicing over each players character. Again in a game where you really want the player to feel like they are their avatar why would you assign a voice actor?! One thing that drove me nuts in Mass Effect was the woman's voice for the Female Shepard. She sounded so manly that it made me think Kaidan must swing both ways. It completely took me away from the character and I actually ended up resenting her a little bit.

But as always I will keep the faith, and HOPE that this game keeps the old KOTOR spirt alive.

Mafia II Stage Demo

2009-07-17T22:13:00.000-07:00

First Official Movie Screen From Prince of Persia Movie

2009-07-17T16:16:00.000-07:00

Alright, it doesn't look too bad, and Jake is pulling off the Prince better then I thought a white boy could. As this is one of my favorite series of all time let us PRAY that this movie doesn't suck along with just about EVERY video game movie to date.

New threat of the Robot Apocalypse

2009-07-17T12:02:00.000-07:00

I'm telling you people the robot apocalypse is coming! First man eating robots and now a fricken Terminator has come back form the future...well sort of...

19 year old Sean Stanley was arrested in Nevada after being spotted naked on the side of a highway. When police arrived Stanley some how managed to make his way into a near by casino claiming that he was a Terminator sent from the future. He was then immediately tasered and taken into custody. Drug tests showed that Stanley was not in fact a Terminator but simply suffering the effects of LSD and Marijuana.

Military Designing Robots Who Can Feed Off Human Flesh

2009-07-16T13:21:00.000-07:00

Praying that you miss the time when robots rise up against their masters and enslave the human race? Too late. The Defense Department is doing an uncomfortable amount of research into robots who can power themselves by feeding off of human corpses. The project is called the EATR (Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot) and it thankfully isn't just limited to the "other white meat", it can feed off of any organic matter which just so happens to include human corpses. The real kicker is the research team behind this totally knows there about to destroy the human race. The file where they are keeping all the info on the EATR is titled “Evidently, many scientists have never seen even one scary sci-fi movie”. Talk about famous last words.

Let us pray this story is some crazy viral for the next Matrix movie.

Knocked Out!

2009-07-14T22:56:00.000-07:00

Hydrogen Car gets 1,336 MPG, Yes Please

2009-07-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

A few Sakarya University students came up with this polar bear saving miracle. Nicked named the Sahimo, this car is on its way to compete in the 2009 Global Green Challenge after it has already
taken 3rd in the Shell Eco Marathon. The MPG rate is so good thanks to the cars light weight design. The Sahimo only weighs 240 pounds. That's right, this thing weighs less then 1/3 of America. Unfortunately at a hefty price tag of $170,000 most of us will have to admire from afar. You can see a video detailing the construction of the Sahimo here.

Shawn of the Dead Mod for Left 4 Dead, What Could Be Better?

2009-07-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

Shawn of the Dead and Left 4 Dead are now heading on a collision course set for one giant nerdgasm. A small team of designers are working on the mod and they aren't messing around. You'll get to reenact just about every major zombie infested scene from the movie. To keep up to date on the project you can visit the teams website for all the latest news, and you can even apply to be on the team. From my understanding they are looking for mappers, texture artists, and prop modluers, testers need not apply.

Mario Reenactment

2009-07-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

Bullshit: Violent Video Games Get the Shakedown

2009-07-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

Penn & Teller tackle the hot button topic of violent video games in their latest episode of Bullshit. If you give two poops about this issue then this is a must see.

Looking Back: Portal

2009-07-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

Please bear with me, I know I'm two years late to the party but today I finally realized the brilliance that is Portal. I have always been a fan of the game and would easily place it on my top ten favorite games of all time but today I have come to truly appreciate its brilliance. After reading an article questioning whether a great game with a great story line can exist without violence I came to the realization that that is exactly what Portal is. With the game focusing more on the puzzles, evasion and timing aspects of a FPS, it manages to completely avoid violence. The worst thing you can do in the game is set a big metal box on fire....which you feel really bad about! The story is fantastic and presented brilliantly (in a very Valve sort of way) and the game carries characters that will stay with you long after the credits roll. Any game that can make me love a simple box because it will never stab me is just incredible. It also sports a very bad ass female lead without ever emphasizing the fact that she is a she, and to top it off she is appropriately clothed for the situation. Her boobs aren't hanging out and her ass isn't three times the size of her waist. As a female gamer I can't emphasize enough how heart warming this is to see. Not to get all super feminist on you but there are only a hand full of games that treat the heroins on the same level as the heroes.

When I first read the article my first thought was "Well that can't be true, there has to be plenty of riveting non-violent games on the market." That was then followed by a long blank. I couldn't think of a single one. I only realized Portal fit the bill thanks to one of the reference pages the article mentions. This makes Portals accomplishments all the more impressive. So Portal today I tip my hat to you, you are truly one of the biggest innovation in gaming since the joystick.

Games to Keep on the Radar

2009-07-08T19:38:00.000-07:00

With a lot of big titles on there way some of the lesser know games can get swept under the rug. Here are a few that are dieing for some air, and from the looks of it so far they very well deserve it.

Alpha Protocol

Why You Should Care: Alpha Protocol comes to you from Obsidian Entertainment. That's the same team that brought you Neverwinter Nights, KOTOR II, and they're currently in charge of the next Fallout expansion. Obsidian knows there business and they are not messing around with Alpha Protocol. Protocol seems to be a cross of James Bond and Mass Effect with just a dash of Fallout. The game is a third person shooter that, like many of Obsidian's other games, is heavily based upon the players choices. You play as somewhat of a freelance spy, giving you the opportunity to align yourself with several different factions. Which of course will have its advantages and disadvantages. Siding with the Arms dealer may give you access to a lot of cool weaponry but it may also piss off their competitor, giving you a new enemy. Who you side with will also decide your mission objectives and how you go about maneuvering through the level. A more laid back boss may want you to barge through the front door while some one more stealthy would rather have you sneak in through the back. If Obsidian can slap on a decent story and some good voice acting this game is looking to be one you won't soon forget.

Mafia II

Why You Should Care: If Mafia II is half as good as its predecessor then we are in for one hell of a ride. The original Mafia was at first cast off as a GTA clone, but once that first cut scene played you knew that 2K had taken the GTA formula and made it their own. Mafia packed a lot of heart and raised a lot of moral questions and the sequel is looking to do the same. Mafia II is dealing with a whole new set of characters who look just as entertaining and lovable as the first bunch. Graphically it looks a little lacking but that could have been said for the first one as well. As long as Mafia II can retain the heart of the series this game will rival GTA IV.

Borderlands

Why You Should Care: From what I can see so far Borderlands seems to be a hell of a lot like Fallout III. And if I wanted to play Fallout I would just pop the disc in, not that it really ever made its way out of my X-box, so way do i mention the title? Borderlands features thousands of different guns in the game...LITERALLY THOUSANDS. From my understanding Gearbox has developed an AI that actually generates new guns in the middle of gameplay. It also featuers midgets that try a tear your head off. Enough said.

When Marvel and DC Collide

2009-07-08T13:39:00.000-07:00

One Step Closer to the Invisibility Cloak

2009-07-08T09:56:00.000-07:00

MIT have developed a fabric made of light sensitive fibers that work together to act as a camera. The fabric can read its environment and reproduce an image that is then processed by a computer."This is the first time that anybody has demonstrated that a single plane of fibers, or 'fabric,' can collect images just like a camera but without a lens," For more scientificy talk that I don't fully understand you can check out the cnet article here.

Its a Disaster!

2009-07-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

Brian K. Vaughan leaves Lost to be BBFLs with Oliva Munn

2009-07-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

And he might also make time to look over several of his movie projects. Vaughan is a writer for several famed comic books such as The Runaways, Y: The Last Man, and Ex Machina (Some of my all time favorites by the way). All of which are rumored to be hitting the big screen some time in the next couple of years. In his official statement referring to his departure he simply states “I can confirm that I left Lost to become best friends with Olivia Munn.” Olivia Munn is the sharp witted host of G4s Attack of the Show and I must say she is the luckiest girl on the planet.

Insane, Scary, Awesome

2009-07-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

BioWare Releases Old Republic Timeline Trailers

2009-07-06T18:35:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to close the 300 year gap between the 1st and the upcoming KOTOR game BioWare has released a series of trailers that act somewhat like an epilogue from a bad 80's movie.

Health Warnings Being Called for Video Games

2009-07-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

Congressman Joe Baca has introduced legislation that any game with a rating of Teen or higher should come with a health warning label on the back. Its being called The Video Game Health Labeling Act of 2009 and as of now the warning label is to read “WARNING: Excessive exposure to violent video games and other violent media has been linked to aggressive behavior.” So that means games like Guitar Hero, The Sims 3, and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, would all be coming out of the stores with promises of brainwashing your kids into little psychos.
Not only is this ridiculous but its completely misleading. The truth is there hasn't been any solid studies to prove the claim one way or the other. For every study that says that games do in fact cause violence theres one that comes out the next day claiming that they don't.

Unfortunately this isn't the only warning label being called to hit the back of video game covers. There has been talks of obesity warnings as well, claiming that its the result of an overuse of the product. Well, OK, but that can be said for just about EVERYTHING. Why stop with video games when this can just as easily be applied to books, chairs, movies, cards, beds, board games, TVs, and don't forget those artery clogging pool floaties.

The bottom line is we shouldn't need the government to put these silly warning labels on everything. Parents need to look at what their kids are playing and decide if they're mature enough to handle the content. If your kid has spent the majority of his/her childhood setting Barbies on fire maybe it's not the best idea for them to be playing Postal. Set limits for your kids if they're playing to much, or maybe make them earn it; one hour of soccer equal two hours of video games. Lets not complicate something that is so easy to deal with ourselves.

Real Life Clara

2009-07-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

Last night while in the middle of a very intense episode of Intervention I couldn't help but to break out in a small fit of laughter. The women featured in the episode is a real life incarnation of Clara from The Guild, well at least when it come to the whole ignoring your kids part. Before you get on your high horse the women isn't negligent because she is to zonked out on drugs or alcohol, she has a disability to swallow so she has been "eating" from a feeding tube for the last 14 years. The part that got me is when the children (who are no older the 10) had learned to cook for themselves because their Mom was to busy sleeping all day. She even continues to ignore them when she is on the computer and they want to spend time with her. Now if only she had one of those dog gates her problems would be solved. Just don't think about it to hard, else you will realize how sad this actually is.

So cute!

2009-06-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

Its New To Me: The Force Unleashed

2009-06-30T16:17:00.000-07:00

With the next KOTOR still a year away one has to get their Star Wars fix somehow, and now that The Force Unleashed is in the bargain bin you won't find a better source.
The Good:

Gameplay: When it comes to making you feel like you're one with the force no game does it better then The Force Unleashed. Bringing down TIE Fighters and squishing AT-STs with nothing but your bare hands really does give the player a great and very satisfying sense of power. Force Unleashed has you earn a number of different force powers and lightsaber combos to keep gameplay fresh and interesting. The game has a very balanced difficulty. You are powerful enough to kick some serious hiney but you still have to keep on your toes because one wrong move will send you straight back to the last check point. The game lets you keep all of your earned experience when you die (and in the higher difficulties you will often) which keeps you from getting to frustrated in the more frantic battles. The game is constantly introducing new enemies and mini bosses which keeps the player on their toes.

Story: The Force Unleashed does a great job of merging its story with that of the movies. The game does take a few liberties with the original story but it works. The game introduces several new characters to the Star Wars universe as well as some old favorites. The cast is diverse and interesting enough to make you care for them and the story.
The story is filled with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you want to fight your way through the next level to see what happens next.

The Bad:

Targeting: Many of the force powers rely on an auto targeting system, unfortunately it suffers from bouts of ADD from time to time. It many switch from the current enemy to a piece of nearby debris in mid attack. Though this doesn't happen too often when it does it will most likely mean your death.

Boss Fights: When it comes to Boss fights Force Unleashed loses all of its elegance. The camera changes to a static top down position that is so far away from the action it can sometimes be hard to even see what you're doing. Animations are awkward and your opponent doesn't really seem to respond much to attacks, its almost as if before the fight your lightsaber has been replaced with a cheap Wal-Mart version. Things can get confusing as you and your opponent will often be flying across the screen, making it hard to keep track of both parties.

Story: Don't get me wrong, the story that Force Unleashed tells is great but it begs for so much more. The story seems almost like an outline, it doesn't take the time to look at the details, it jumps from one major plot point to the next. This is incredibly frustrating considering all the potential this game has. Even time to just chill on the ship in between missions and talk to your shipmates would have been a big help.

Bottom line: This game deserves at least a rent. If your a big Star Wars fan you may want to pick this one up, its $30 in stores now and even cheaper if you look online.

I cant decide which one I would want more...

2009-06-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

Microwave PC mod

or

Bender PC mod

If I ever strike it rich I will spend my money on the most useless things.

Makes a girl want to buy a PS3

2009-06-26T19:26:00.000-07:00

If you're not drooling after watching this trailer you have the wrong hobby. In case you need any more convincing The Last Guardian comes to you from the makers of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. In short this means that this is a game that will be talked about long after it hits the store shelves.

On a unrelated note both the PlayStaion 3 and 360 will be undergoing some major price cuts coming this fall. So if you're missing either hopefully now you can have both.

Mass Effect 1.5

2009-06-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

Anxious for your next Mass Effect fix but can't wait for the sequel? Well you're in luck, BioWare has released Mass Effect Galaxy on the iPhone. Galaxy is more or less a teaser for Mass Effect 2 but should still be worth it for the fans.

The game works as a top down shooter that uses the iPhone's tilt feature to maneuver the character. You will find the same in depth dialogue system as shown in the previous game, but the real seller for Galaxy is that it introduces two new characters that will play a significant role in Mass effect 2. This is a thriller for any fan and for $2.99 it just might be worth it.

Sita Sings the Blues

2009-06-24T20:27:00.000-07:00

Online and free (legally), Sita Sings the Blues is a beautiful animation and a testament to the director's (Nina Paley) awesomeness. In 2002 Paley underwent much of the production herself, including the animation of all 86 minutes of the project, 6 years later the film was released online for FREE.

I love cake

2009-06-24T17:22:00.000-07:00

I would tear this thing apart

Privacy Please

2009-06-23T13:12:00.001-07:00

Love Plus: Dating sim for DS

2009-06-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

This is so so strange and so so wrong

These girls look like their fifteen and you can get them to call you daddy?! This makes my skin crawl, i mean if there was ever a game marketed towards pedophiles this is it. The creepiest part is after you trick one of the girls into becoming your "girlfriend" you can rub them....
Using the touch pad you can touch their forehead, face,and arms. As far as i know this game doesn't have any explicit content but it doesn't stop it from being incredibly disturbing.

The Guild

2009-06-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

I may be the last horse crossing the finish line when it comes to picking up on the incredible web show The Guild but I must say its now a new found addiction. If there is anyone out there who still hasn't picked up on this web phenomenon you are in for a treat. The guild is a witty and charming show about young woman (Felicia Day)and her guildies trying to deal with the real world. Production quality and acting are top notch, you may even forget you're watching a web show. With episodes lasting from about 4 to 6 minutes its great for a quick luagh, but i warn you now, it is highly addictive.

Love Felicia Day and/or Joss Whedon?
Check out Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

PC Game Gun

2009-06-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

Simply amazing

Wikipedia in a book

2009-06-20T20:17:00.001-07:00

5000 pages

hmmm...I would have thought it would have been bigger

Star Wars: The Old Republic

2009-06-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

The Old Republic series has undoubtedly been one of the best in the long line of Star Wars games. The 3rd installment of the franchise is coming sometime in 2010 but this time BioWare is taking a whole new approach to the series. The Old Republic is slated to be an MMO taking place 300 years after the first KOTOR; this my friends is where we might have a problem.

Being a huge fan of the series the new direction they are taking for the 3rd installment worries me. The first two games were so good not only because of the great story but because of how interesting your companions were. Half the fun was getting to know your shipmates, seeing how you effected them, and having them at your side in battle. The series has been immensely successful in the fact that you actually get attached to your companions and actually care for them. I have a hard time picturing them having the same success in a MMO formate. Not to mention the fact that there are some major cliff hangers left in the last KOTOR games that I hope they don't blow off just to get them out of the way. From what I've seen the game is looking to be a great MMO, but not a great KOTOR game.

But one must always keep the faith, if anyone can pull this off its BioWare. I'll just keep my finger crossed and pray it doesn't take the path of Star Wars Galaxies.

Virtual Barber Shop

2009-06-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

Turn off the lights, close the door, and grab your headphones. This is one of the most impressive and immersive pieces of sound art you can stumble upon on the internet. The folks at QSound Labs have made surround sound possible with just your headphones.

The quieter the room is the better the experience.

And I promise its not a screamer

I can't help but to listen to this and think about all the possibilities this has! I can tell you if Resident Evil had used this i wouldn't be able to make it past the first level without completely making a mess of my pants.

Want to learn more about how its done?