Brave New World Around the Corner

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/microsoft-working-on-real-time-windows-phone-7-to-console-gaming/

I'm really looking forward to a world with realtime Mobile Multiplayer. I'd like it PSP style please, with tactile buttons instead of touchscreen.

This Video is Serious Business

The Insane Console History Video 2.0

Online, Mobile Games to Surpass Console Games in 5 Years, says Analyst

Pretty interesting read, no matter what you think will happen. Myself, I'm saving up for an Alienware Laptop. But I won't lose my XBox until they have PC Gamer Points with the same amount of street cred!

http://www.industrygamers.com/news/online-mobile-games-to-surpass-console-games-in-5-years-says-analyst/

“The video games industry is big, getting bigger and changing, with console game costs, revenue and risks accelerating and online/mobile games growing and fragmenting the market. Investment dynamics are entering a new phase, with growth investment opportunities in online and mobile games, as pure console sector growth is flat (and risky). Today online/mobile games generate around 1/3 of all games software revenues globally. In 5 years time they are forecast to generate 50% of all games software revenue, or around 1/5 more revenue than pure console games! Whether you have faith in the forecasts or not, CEOs and senior execs from the major US, European and Asian publishers all tell me that this is what keeps them awake at night," Merel commented.

Team Fortress 2 Meet the Spy Trailer - Worth a watch!

I know it's old but it's new to me...hilarious!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnuYi-nzE90

"Red Dead Redemption has the Production Quality of an HBO Show"

Said my friend Eric, who is a video game producer, to me today, about 25 minutes after he put in his new disc.

My friend Titus posted this to FB:

Red Dead Redemption is the pinnacle of all humanity's achievements.

When he posted that, I found his statement to be a bit over the top, but. After watching the beginning of the game again with Eric, I realized I had dismissed the production at the beginning of the game as a Deadwood knock off...but it IS A VIDEO GAME. It can shamelessly knock off a TV show because it's a different art form.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/1756-Alan-Wake

Here he goes off about the shamelessness of Stephen King worshipping...again I say to you, it is A VIDEO GAME. Since when are ANY writers worshipped in console games? That used to be territory exclusively for Casual Games' Agatha Christie Mysteries. As my friend Craig teased me for not being a TRUE Alan Wake fan as I keep waffling between it and RDR, I realized he and I both have the longterm fantasy of being famous writers - now thats some roleplaying I can get behind.

And the Shadows Keep on Changing

Kudos to Alan Wake. I not only love it but after someone flipped me some grief for loving it so much, now I feel the need to champion it.

What inspired me to take a break from playing and post about it is the innovative "hold b to change flashlight types" instead of the typical FPS style "press b" which makes you change weapons/flashlight types, even when you're just trying to pick up the treasure around it. This way it's much harder to make a mistake. Good user design.

It's that kind of attention to detail in Alan Wake that keeps me coming back like a rabid dog. Don't get me started on the soundtrack, or the lighting and its use as a narrative device, or the amazing dappling shadows.

People in the industry are rolling their eyes at how long it took to make. It doesn't seem like they were goofing off in those 5 years - this is one solid game and I highly recommend it, even to people who aren't that into console or video games, but like mystery or quality intuitive, interactive experiences.

Field Guide to Fanboys

http://flowingdata.com/2010/05/13/field-guide-to-fanboys/

What I'm Playing

Assassins Creed 2! It has stolen my heart and mind. As talking heads float in front of me IRL, I'm dreaming about running along the rooftops, so realistically, athletically, and fearlessly (but with a good deal of skill and attention required) that I feel like I'm flying. I love love love this game, it might be my new favorite game but I refuse to make such a dramatic statement impulsively.

L4D2 DLC - FUN FUN! No different than the rest of L4D2, except, a few more minutes of unplayed fun!

Splinter Cell Conviction - YES YES Yall! This game is awesome and the 2 player is SO fun. More on this in the Podcast.

FUN WHEEEEEE!
http://games.adultswim.com/robot-unicorn-attack-twitchy-online-game.html

What I'm Playing

This week I pretty much spent money I shouldn't have but these games were all SUCH BARGAINS!

I've been playing:

Dark Sector - this game is hard, but I have my glaive now at least. I should switch to 'easy' but my pride keeps saying, 'wait a little bit longer...' It's a gorgeous game and worth spending some effort getting through.

Dead Space - *wild applause* see FOGcast 006 for details.

Assassins Creed 2 - so hard! I can't get past the darn roof races! I think I'm on medium, and should kick it down a notch... for the acrobatics section, at least.

Star Ocean - not sure about this one yet...I just started though.

Velvet Assassin - /sings "I enjoy being a girl..." I LOVE playig a girl! A stealth assassin girl! Boosh!

aand, The Darkness - starring MIKE PATTON as the darkness! Oh this is a dark and fun game. Dual pistols and tentacle creatures wrapped around you that eat men's hearts. Yes!

Feel free to add me, username: RupeeGroupie

Why, WiiWare, Why?

It could be SO CUTE. It could be slathered in goombas. But no, instead when we dusted off ye olde Wii to play No More Heroes 2, and we jumped on to WiiWare (Wii's online content space for DS Downloads, Demos, Wii Downloads, etc) eagerly awaiting a dynamic, possibly adorable, certainly at least Wii-level interface, we were sorely dissapointed. It's nigh impossible to navigate and the interface looks like horrific state of boring cooked up in the movie "Berlin." Seriously Wii, you can't update your online interface to something other than 2001's Photoshop Hit Effect AQUA? I know it's hard to have the interface backup of Microsoft or Sony, but oh wait no it's not...you're Nintendo, you've been rocking interfaces for years. The Wii itself has a delightful interface but their dynamic online content is totally neglected/outdated? Lame! Who went on vacation and never came back?

The thrilling news was I could buy Final Fantasy IV (II in the US, IV in Japan) The Later Years - a sequel with the most famous FF characters of all time, and the graphics are SuperNES graphics. I'm downloading it now...I'll let you know more soon! (I never played FF IV, but I always wondered...now I see it looks pretty awesome!)

But then the tragic twist is that when purchasing time came, the 'cancel' button came on the final page exactly where there 'ok' button was the past 10 screens. Needless to say we prevailed and soon I'll be double fisting Final Fantasy (I'm playing FF XIII for XBox 360 right now, but you'll have to listen to next weeks podcast if you want to know what I think!)

FOGcast - new Podcast!

FOGcast: Episode #000 - Pilotcast featuring BioShock 2 & Resident Evil 5 DLC 'Lost in Nightmares'

Join Tatiana, Brooks & Greg as they discuss bit.ly/fogcast BioShock 2 & Resident Evil 5 'Lost in Nightmares'. Beware this episode contains spoilers for BioShock 2 towards the end of the podcast.

Now Playing

Resident Evil 5, DLC "Lost in Nightmares" - although it takes place in RE1 and I hear you can unlock Barry in multiplayer.

We played in 2 player mode with Chris and Jill, we only saw a few zombies in the first 2 chapters. It's mostly clue gathering and fitting together, although I managed to die horribly a few times from traps and other natural causes.

So far, this is a rip roaring RE1-style good time. New fans and old should be pleased. AND, its not So Damn Hard I Can't Get Anywhere In It, like the main Resident Evil 5 is ;)

Which to Play First? BioShock 2 vs. Mass Effect 2

I'm outraged to hear Mass Effect 2 is far superior to the original, having chosen to play BS2 first vs. ME2 (the other people in my house having chosen ME2 first). So far BS2 is NOT better than the original - but I hear through the grapevine its a slow first 10 hours and then 'its on' in the last 3 hours, story wise. Not that I'm not TOTALLY LOVING it (halfway through Pauper's Drop) but I can't say it's a vast improvement on the last one.

Exciting News All Around

1. Tune in soon to this blog for a podcast series with industry professionals and dedicated fans!

2. BioShock2 is coming out tomorrow! One of my favorite games of 2009 (when I played it - it was made in 2007), the story and elaborate fantastic atmosphere had me artistically wowed, and the gameplay was captivating too. I expect BS2 to take it to the next level, or at least maintain the awesome level they summited with the original. Check out this gorgeous Cult of Rapture site and get pumped!

http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/home.php

Army of Two...Two

Army of Tutu?

Regardless, my love and I played "Army of Two: The 40th Day" together this weekend, and I do reccomend it to any gamer couple or gamer platonic duo as a relationship exercise.

You tend to divide early in the level and conquer separately, but must come back together to advance to the next level or checkpoint - be it helping each other over obstacles or working together to move heavy object. Often one team member must snipe from the roof (that's me) while the shotgun guy goes and obliterates on the ground floor (that's my dove).

This game is not mindless - when I start to zone out, I die (on easy). I really enjoy this game as an A+ shooter for the differences in gun handling, position, and silent kills. That I get to play in cooperation with someone is icing on the cake.

POWER SWOON

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7xME0aFbC4

This is the teaser-trailer for Fallout: New Vegas

OHH, have I mentioned Fallout 3 is my FAVORITE GAME OF ALL TIME EVER? This is the game that pushed me from "Gamer" to "Huge giant gamer nerd who avoids social events to run home and play Fallout."

Photos from Game Guru

Yesterday I went to Game Guru in Seattle, WA. It's a bit of a drive from where I live but WELL WORTH the trip.

FIRST of all, this fellow fixed our broken console for an insanely cheap price. And then, oh then! The toys, the old school devices, the feeling that if you couldn't download or port all your favorite old games online, just come to Game Guru and they would have that title right there in the store, in its original 1980s box.

'Wood paneled' GameCube


A mario brick! Adorable!


Ollld schooool

Mario Goomba keychain!

Fix it yourself!

Donkey Kong Barrels

Killa

Not just old school! Guru's picks include the latest and greatest!

LOL

Aand, drumroll please! Sparkling N64 sign, so majestic I had to take a video.

Mass Effect Returns - In Full Effect?

I'm anticipating Mass Effect 2 with less bloodthirsty lust than my friends, although I enjoyed the roleplaying of Mass Effect 1 I found the lack of treasure disappointing (is there no treasure in space?), and the graphics and weapons were great but not mindblowing. Once I started getting really into the roleplaying, I was dropped into the super annoying mini game of navigating a boring terrain that was terribly hard to control. My friends told me that was pretty much the rest of the game, with far less roleplaying, so I declined to finish. I've since heard the planetside minigame is much easier to control on PC, hence the whole experience more enjoyable.

I assume they'll make up for the annoying planetside controls in the next Xbox version, but at the same time my confidence in the game isn't at the same level as for, say, BioShock 2.