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E3Feed Relaunches for E3 2009

Aaron Dunlap — Fri, 29 May 2009 10:18:51 -0500

Last year we quietly launched E3Feed just before E3 2008 to mild fanfare.

This year we've completely revamped the site. It's better, faster, stronger.

Besides a slick new design, some new features we've added include a more twitter-like automatic updating system, the ability to customize rss feeds, trending topics, and automatically populated preview images for most stories and videos.

For the uninitiated, E3Feed is a kind of automatic E3 news aggregator that pulls stories from dozens of popular news sources, swirls them around in a dusty cauldron, and pulls out only the E3-related stories. Everything is sortable, searchable, and subscribeable.

So stop wasting time refreshing 46 different tabs with different game news sites looking for E3 info, just leave your browser pointed at E3Feed.com

Turbo The Movie First Trailer

Tim Grube — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:16:32 -0500

The first trailer surrounding Turbo The Movie, a Jarrett Lee Conaway film.

Turbo The Movie: A Film By Jarrett Lee Conaway

Tim Grube — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:14:23 -0500

Jarrett Lee Conaway has made his rounds across the videogame and film industry. He previously worked here at Gaming Horizon Inc. as an Executive Editor back in the days of PSX Network when we were part of IGN.com Affiliation Network and now he is about to graduate at the University of Southern California. So what is this all about? Well, he has completed one of the best (I think so atleast) short film surrounding videogames ever to hit the "small" or even "big" screen.

Entitled, TURBO, is a high-adrenaline short film in the tradition of The Karate Kid and Tron. It tells the story of Hugo Park (Justin Chon, Twilight) a misspent youth whose only outlet for angst is a 4D fighting video game called Super Turbo Arena. When Pharaoh King (Jocko Sims, Crash the Series), the Michael Jordan of cybersports, announces a tournament to determine who will join his pro team, Hugo's sets his eyes on the prize. But Hugo isn't the only gamer who wants fame and glory.

If Hugo wants to win he's going to have to beat Shamus (David Lehre, Epic Movie), the all time Turbo champ at the local Pandemonium arcade, and Ruse Kapri, a feisty prep girl that knows how to win. Realizing he can't win on his skill alone, Hugo turns to his brother Tobias, a former kickboxer whose last match left him confined to a wheelchair. Together the two will mend old wounds and see if a washed up street fighter can teach a troubled teen how to become a virtual gladiator!

Also, there will be a public screening on May 2nd at the Norris Theatre (at the University of Southern California). at 3PM. First come first serve. Turbo will be sold afterwards, for $10 or less. The price has not yet been determined.

Visit the website by clicking here.

THQ Puts Big Huge Games Up For Sale

Zach Lott — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:23:37 -0500

Crispy Gamer has received word from THQ that the publisher is putting Big Huge Games, responsible for the Rise of Nations series, up for the sale, and that the studio will be closed if a buyer is not found.

Also, two other studios, Heavy Iron Studios and Incinerator, will become independent companies as a result of THQ's latest moves to cut workforce and reduce financial losses.

THQ, who acquired Big Huge last year, released this statement:

As part of THQs previously announced business realignment and related headcount reduction plans that targeted cost reductions of $220 million, including a reduction in workforce of 600 people worldwide, THQ today notified the staff at two of its development studios that they will be spun out as independent companies: Heavy Iron in Los Angeles, CA, and Incinerator in Carlsbad, CA. In addition, THQ informed the staff at its Big Huge Games studio in Timonium, MD, that it plans to close the studio if a sale is not completed in the near future. These actions were unfortunate but were necessitated by the difficult economic environment.

Big Huge, who also developed the popular XBLA title Catan as well as an expansion for Age of Empires III, has two unnamed titles, one for the Wii and another for the 360, PS3, and PC, in development. They have a good track record with their RTS games, so hopefully THQ won't have much trouble finding someone to sell them to.

Multiplayer Confirmed for Bioshock 2

Zach Lott — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:39:19 -0500

Though details are rather scarce, Joystiq has discovered that the latest issue of Game Informer's cover story on Bioshock 2 has confirmed that the game will feature multiplayer.

We'll be on the lookout for more details once someone has gotten their hands on the issue. Stay tuned.

All the Pretty Flowers.

Ryan Fulton — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:06:38 -0600

This Thor's day, Flower, by the fine folks who made Fl0w, comes to PSN. What can you expect? I'm not sure. Lots of pretty grass, flowers, basically flora of all make, model, and description. You may ask yourself, "why the hell do I want to be a flower?" Honestly, I don't know that's a question that requires a considerable amount of soul-searching if nothing else. Besides, I'm pretty sure that you're the wind, not a flower, and that's a rather empowering thought. I suppose. This would be a good time to say something trite like, "hey, just watch the video to see what it's like," but I'm fairly certain that watching the video would only cause more confusion. Regardless it's hard to pass up such an intriguing title.
Oh and thanks to Macfarlane-web.com for the image.

Amazon Launches Casual Games Download Service

Zach Lott — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:55:19 -0600

Amazon.com has launched a digital distribution service for casual games, according to Shacknews.

There are over 500 titles available for download at the new "Game Downloads" section of the site, all priced in the $6.99 to $9.99 range. Also, for a limited time, Jewel Quest II, Build-a-lot, and The Scruffs, are being offered for free. There are also plans to expand the selection past casual games at some point.

"We always want to offer the widest selection possible, just like we've done with our boxed games over the past two years," Amazon VP of video games and software Greg Hart told Kotaku.

Each game will have a trial version and will be acquirable through the Amazon Games & Software Downloader, a small 3MB download. Check it out and let us know what you think.

New Gears of War 2 Update Goes Live

Solomon Lee — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:03:12 -0600

Epic has released a new patch for Gears of War 2 that fixes various multiplayer glitches and gameplay bugs. Included with the update is a list of new achievements involving the Combustible and Flashback map packs. They are listed below as follows:

Skeletons in your Closet (20G) - Complete waves 1 through 10 on all Flashback Map Pack maps in Horde (any difficulty)
More Mystery, Less History (15G) - Win a multiplayer match on each of the 5 Flashback Map Pack maps (any mode except Wingman)
Bound by a Shared Past (15G) - Win a Wingman match on each of the 5 Flashback Map Pack maps
Trial by, and on, Fire (20G) - Survive first 10 Horde waves on Combustible Map Pack maps as a team
The Roof! The Roof! The Roof... (15G) - Win a multiplayer match on each of the 3 Combustible Map Pack maps (any mode except Wingman)
Forged in the Fire (15G) - Win a Wingman match on each of the 3 Combustible Map Pack maps
Annex: Now With Execution Rules (75G) - Win an Annex match on each Flashback and Combustible Map Pack map (public only)

GB Review: Gears of War 2 (360)

Solomon Lee — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:43:07 -0600

Gears of War 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to Gears; the title that gathered quite a following with its impressive visuals, intuitive run-and-cover gameplay, and engaging characters. The game doesn't mess with its own formula of success but rather, it focuses on what it does best -- delivering an intense, visceral, adrenaline-pumping experience. The sinister violence and gore is a trademark of this game that has been well received by fans and one that Epic doesn't shy away from. Although it fails to revolutionize the genre, Gears 2 delivers on all fronts and surpasses the original with more weapons, deadlier monsters, larger campaigns, more multiplayer maps and an incredibly addictive Horde mode. Gears of War 2 is this year's game to own on the Xbox 360.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Gears of War was quite the blockbuster when it first arrived on Xbox 360. The game offered solid controls, great visuals, intuitive third person camera and chainsaws. Though the plot wasn't the main focus, Gears effectively brought us the memorable, wisecracking Delta squad members: Marcus, Dom, Cole and Baird. Fast forward to Gears 2 -- the game takes everything that made the original Gears a solid shooter and takes it a step further on the epic scale. To quote Epic Lead Designer, Cliff Bleszinski, Gears of War 2 is definitely "bigger, better and more badass."

Gears 2 continue right after the original shooter; following General RAAM's defeat and the light mass bombing. Marcus and Dom fight with fellow COG soldiers fatally wounded defending the city after subsequent Locust attacks. It is there on the hospital grounds we meet the rook, Benjamin, brother to his sibling Carmine who died from an infamous sniper shot and Tai, a militaristic but calm leader. They quickly learn that the Locusts have quietly regrouped underground and have launched attacks in endless numbers. Entire cities have been sunk underground as the Horde employs powerful forces and tactical equipment and that's not all; they've brought grotesque and far deadlier creatures this time around. Epic has placed a strong emphasis on the story behind the war that sheds light on Marcus Fenix's history and Dom's continued search for his missing wife, Maria.

As expected, the returning weapons are the Lancer, Sniper Rifle, Shotgun, Torque Bow, Pistol and the Hammer of Dawn. New weapons added to your arsenal include the Hammerburst Rifle (enemy weapon), Gorgon Pistol, Ink Grenade (emits poison), Mortar (distance artillery weapon), Mulcher (turret gun) and the fan-favorite, the Scorcher Flamethrower. Grenades can be stuck to walls and used as proximity mines to destroy enemies lurking around. If you are pinned in battle, you can crawl while bleeding to try to reach your teammates to be revived. The new weapons are available in the latter half of the game and can be found by looting Locust corpses. Each weapon is distinct and allows you to perform unique executions on fallen enemies crawling away. You can also grab a dying Locust for use as a meat shield to flank your enemies. Be warned that using the corpse for cover lasts for a very short time -- limiting you to the use of a pistol. The shield will either explode into bits under heavy gunfire or be disposed of after breaking the Locust's neck.

The original Gears saw players destroying their opponents with a chainsaw attack; granting them temporary invulnerability to gunfire or melee attacks. Pulling the attack off was often based on luck between two players with the one who revved up his chainsaw just a split second earlier winning the fight; which was infuriating. Epic has addressed the Chainsaw attack complaints with a new Chainsaw duel feature. Two players that rush one another with the Lancer will be thrown into a mini-game; quickly mashing the B button ensures victory. If a third player approaches two people engaged in a Chainsaw duel, the poor guy or gal on the receiving end will instantly be overpowered.

Both single player and coop campaigns allow you to finish the game by yourself or with a friend. The option to play at your own pace is simplified as campaigns can be played with two separate difficulty settings. An extra difficulty setting Normal can be selected with the Insane difficulty unlocked after the game has been completed. You can invite your friends with the "What's Up" feature that lets you see the status and progress of your Gears' friends online. Personally, I found the friendly menu list to be useful in keeping tabs with other online players.

The all new Horde mode is one of the highlights of Gears 2. In Horde mode, you join a team of five players collaborating to destroy Locusts waves on various maps. Eventually, your enemies grow stronger with more health, better weapons and increased numbers. A total of 50 waves are featured in Horde mode for which the difficulty level rises considerably after the tenth wave. Fighting together in groups, reviving teammates, giving cover fire and using key vantage points is crucial for your survival. Linked achievements play a big role in the Horde and multiplayer modes. Gears fans will be happy to hear that specific achievements (completed from the original) unlock new playable characters such as Anthony Carmine, Minh Young Kim (former Delta squad leader) and General RAAM. Your progress ultimately dictates your rank; which is used for matchmaking purposes. Horde mode is tough as nails but is easily the most satisfying and rewarding to play with everyone.

A War Journal is a handy tool that tracks your listed achievements, unlocked characters, and collectables. Rather than using COG tags, Epic has placed hidden files, newspapers, memos and personal letters throughout the game. They comprise a total of 41 collectables that provides a side story to the events surrounding the war. A magnifying glass signifies the item is found and is easily picked up by pressing the X button. You don't need to guess how close you are to an achievement as the journal displays your progress towards obtaining it. This is a welcome change for fans wishing to complete the game in its entirety.

Multiplayer modes feature seven maps: Warzone, Execution, Annex, King of the Hill, Guardian, Submission and Wingman. Epic's gift to its fans is a code for the Flashback Map Pack for those with preorders and for those buying Gears 2 at launch. This map pack includes five maps: Subway, Canals, Tyro Station, Gridlock and Mansion. While it doesn't sound like much, each map is considerably different from the original Gears. The Subway is less dreary, Canals have been hit by a frozen icy spell, Tyro Station is more industrialized, Gridlock is filled with foliage and the Mansion has better lighting. A new Training Ground mode gives casual, novice and veteran players a brief tutorial on the basics of multiplayer controls and combat.

Gears 2 is a graphically intense game. Buildings, air-borne dust, the underground caverns and the city landscapes are very polished. Special effects ranging from hailing fire on your enemies with the Mortar to poisoning the enemy with Ink grenades are visually gratifying. The frame rate takes a severe hit at numerous checkpoint locations that could have used some tweaking. There is also a tendency for Locust corpses and weapon spoils to fall and to defy natural physics in its environment. Otherwise, Gears 2 is a game detailed to the core that manages to exceed the best visuals of the original Gears. With respect to audio, the soundtrack is top-notch and a great accompaniment.

Many of the flaws from the original Gears have sadly crept into Gears 2. The A.I. teammates tend to block your shots, run straight into enemy territory without cover, and get hopelessly pinned in a far corner amongst a group of Locusts. Regrettably, the vehicle stages are the most irritating part of many campaigns; especially on the higher difficulty settings. Despite its shortcomings, Gears 2 is an exciting game full of blood, action and suspense for anyone that enjoys a solid third person shooter.

Heavy Rain: 30 Minutes of French and Good Lighting.

Ryan Fulton — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:20:20 -0500

Recently released video of Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain from the Micromania Expo in France has reached the gaming site formerly known as Jeuxfrance which shall henceforth be known as Gamekyo. The animations could use some work, and the gameplay looks as if it may be somewhat dry just yet, but damned if the game doesn't have lighting down to a science. Qualms aside it looks like it could very well be an interesting game. The video is definitely worth a look. Just excuse the French... unless you speak French, then please, by all means, ignore what I was just talking about.

EA Announces More Burnout

Tim Grube — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:29:48 -0500

Criterion Games and Electronic Arts announced today Burnout Paradise The Ultimate Box. This "box" will include the Burnout Paradise game plus the previously-released Burnou Paradise Cagney and Burnout Paradise Bikes content updates, and the brand new Burnout Paradise Party content.

Whether youre an experienced player or a gaming novice, Burnout Paradise is a game that anyone can enjoy, says Pete Lake, Senior Producer at Criterion Games. With The Ultimate Box, we aimed to deliver the most fun, high quality and high value experience possible to players both online and in the living room.

Burnout Paradise Party will be on display and available for free play at EAs booth during the London Games Festival in Trafalgar Square from Oct 31 Nov 1, 2008.

Now for the players that already own Burnout Paradise, Burnout Paradise Party will be sold separately as downloadable content.

TGS 08: The Last Remnant Trailer.

Ryan Fulton — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:03:01 -0500

Gametrailers.com has recently uploaded the Tokyo Games Show trailer for Square Enix's The Last Remnant. The video makes the game look rather intriguing. So far, the overall story, graphics, and art direction all look pretty solid. Personally, I'm still waiting to see how the gameplay works out before purchasing this title, but it definately has my attention.

You can find the Japanese blog for the game here. Even if you're incapable of reading Japanese, you can look at pretty pictures or download the backgrounds available on the site.

Fable 2: Revenge of the Molyneux

Ryan Fulton — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 15:17:51 -0500

In a move that's unlikely to surprise anyone acquainted with the works and words of Peter Molyneux, Fable 2 will ship without online co-op play.

People with real life friends or no friends at all will be unaffected due to the fact that the split screen and single player modes will be entirely functional in the disc release.

Those of you who happen to yearn for interaction with distant friends still have the silver lining that the online co-op mode will be functional via a patch that will be made available within the first week of release--probably.

Let's hope that Molyneux delivers, as it would be horrible to see such a promising game marred by the temporary occlusion of such a heavily touted feature.

New Xbox Experience: What's Bumpin' with Themes?

Ryan Fulton — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:03:16 -0500

We all know that the New Xbox Experience is a fancy way of re-skinning the Xbox's current "blade" interface and adding Mii Avatar support. While a new look is nice, many of us paid hard earned Imperial Credits for our current themes and they suit us quite well, thank you very much. Not to fear! The fine folks at Gamerscore Blog have descended from their perch upon high to allay your doubts and worries.

Not only will your old themes still be viable in the new format, they'll look even better, theoretically. In addition to old themes being supported, some of the new themes will be slightly animated. Avatars will also take an active role on the background representing what your friends are doing and even grouping together when partied. All in all, it seems pretty exciting. Well, as exciting as a glorified menu system can be, which is sort of exciting.

They are in! GTA IV PC Specs Unveiled

Tim Grube — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:54:16 -0500

For those of you who have been waiting for the PC specs on Grand Theft Auto IV--well, they are now in!

Windows XP SP2
Dual core processor (Intel Pentium D or above)
2GB of RAM
18GB of hard drive space
512MB Direct 3D 10 compatible video card or Direct3D 9 card
DVD dual-layer drive

It appears the staff who handle the Games for Windows website jumped the gun today because they posted the PC specifications, but were removed soon after. No word from Rockstar Games regarding as to why it was taken down.

Nikopol Demo Released From Got Game

Tim Grube — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:53:06 -0500

Got Game Entertainment just informed us that the company has released a demo for Nikopol: Secrets of the Immortals.

Details: Join struggling artist Alcide Nikopol in a richly detailed world of a future Paris. Who watches and waits from high above this City of Light and what dark secrets lie buried beneath its fabled streets? Begin your search now for clues and embark on your path to personal and political destiny from this humble artist's apartment.

Check it out. The 354MB demo is available for download by clicking the jump!

Download it now from www.NikopolGame.com (see demo link) OR via

ftp.nikopolgame.com

user: demo@nikopolgame.com

pass: download

Demo for "Nikopol: Secrets of the Immortals"

Download size: 354MB

Game requirements:

Windows XP/Vista
DirectX 9.0c (included)
1.7 GHz Pentium 4, AMD Athlon, or equivalent
RAM : 512 MB (1024MB with Vista)
128MB DirectX 9.0c compatible graphics card
ATI Radeon 9600 / NVIDIA 6 series or higher
DirectX 9.0c compatible sound device
DVD-ROM 16x or faster
3 GB hard drive space
Windows-compatible mouse required

Rumor: Silver DS Lite To Hit US In September

Zach Lott — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 14:08:01 -0500

Here's a story for those of you who are obsessed with having yet another color of the DS Lite: 1up is reporting that the metallic silver DS Lite may become available in the U.S. on September 7.

The rumor originated from Kotaku, who received a blurry picture from an anonymous employee showing the street dates for three products, including the silver DS Lite, which has been available in Europe and Japan for a while now. Kotaku has since received word from various readers claiming to be GameStop employees that the store will be the exclusive seller of the new DS Lite.

We'll let you know if this becomes official in the coming weeks.

Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty Out Soon

Tim Grube — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:15:27 -0500

According to GameSpot, Insomniac Games is hard at work finishing up the first downloadable Ratchet & Clank game entitled, Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty.

Picking up after the events of Ratchet & Clank Future, Quest for Booty will put a greater emphasis on puzzle-solving and platforming elements.

The game will be released on August 21 with a price of $14.99

E3 2008: Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars Announced

Tim Grube — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:05:20 -0500

The folks over at Rockstar Games today announced the development of Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars for Nintendo DS.

"This is a game that will deliver a rich, fast-paced and intense 'Grand Theft Auto' experience that will be truly unique to Nintendo's handheld platform," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "Rockstar Leeds, along with the team at Rockstar North, has built upon a decade of progressive design on Grand Theft Auto, and has created something fundamentally fresh and immersive."

The game is set to be released in Winter of this year.

E3 2008: Rock Band 2 Setlist Revealed

Zach Lott — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:03:19 -0500

Harmonix has just issued a press release containing the full list of songs for Rock Band 2 that was first shown at Microsoft's E3 conference.

The biggest news besides the contents of the list is that you'll be able to export all your tracks from Rock Band into Rock Band 2, which, combined with the latter's setlist and planned DLC, will give you over 500 songs to jam out to by year's end.

As for the list itself, there's a ton of different artists ranging from Bob Dylan to AC/DC to Blondie and more. There's a total of 84 songs that will be on the game disc.

Hit the jump for the full list of songs.

Main Setlist

1. AC/DC - Let There Be Rock 1970s
2. AFI - Girls Gone Grey 2000s
3. Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know 1990s
4. Alice in Chains - Man in the Box 1990s
5. Allman Brothers - Ramblin Man 1970s
6. Avenged Sevenfold - Almost Easy 2000s
7. Bad Company - Shooting Star 1970s
8. Beastie Boys - So Whatcha Want 1990s
9. Beck - E-Pro 2000s
10. Bikini Kill - Rebel Girl 1990s
11. Billy Idol - White Wedding Pt. I 1980s
12. Blondie - One Way or Another 1970s
13. Bob Dylan - Tangled Up in Blue 1970s
14. Bon Jovi - Livin on a Prayer 1980s
15. Cheap Trick - Hello There 1970s
16. Devo - Uncontrollable Urge 1980s
17. Dinosaur Jr. - Feel the Pain 1990s
18. Disturbed - Down with the Sickness 2000s
19. Dream Theater - Panic Attack 2000s
20. Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf 1980s
21. Elvis Costello - Pump It Up 1970s
22. Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way 1970s
23. Foo Fighters - Everlong 1990s
24. Guns N Roses - Shacklers Revenge 2000s
25. Interpol - PDA 2000s
26. Janes Addiction - Mountain Song 1980s
27. Jethro Tull - Aqualung 1970s
28. Jimmy Eat World - The Middle 2000s
29. Joan Jett - Bad Reputation 1980s
30. Journey - Anyway You Want It 1970s
31. Judas Priest - Painkiller 1990s
32. Kansas - Carry On Wayward Son 1970s
33. L7 - Pretend Were Dead 1990s
34. Lacuna Coil - Our Truth 2000s
35. Linkin Park - One Step Closer 2000s
36. Lit - My Own Worst Enemy 1990s
37. Lush - De-Luxe 1990s
38. Mastodon - Colony of Birchmen 2000s
39. Megadeth - Peace Sells 1980s
40. Metallica - Battery 1980s
41. Mighty Mighty Bosstones - Whered You Go 1990s
42. Modest Mouse - Float On 2000s
43. Motorhead - Ace of Spades 1980s
44. Nirvana - Drain You 1990s
45. Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the Sky 1960s
46. Panic at the Disco - Nine in the Afternoon 2000s
47. Paramore - Thats What You Get 2000s
48. Pearl Jam - Alive 1990s
49. Presidents of the USA - Lump 1990s
50. Rage Against the Machine - Testify 1990s
51. Ratt - Round & Round 1980s
52. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Give it Away 1990s
53. Rise Against - Give it All 2000s
54. Rush - The Trees 1970s
55. Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye 2000s
56. Smashing Pumpkins - Today 1990s
57. Social Distortion - I Was Wrong 1990s
58. Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot 1980s
59. Soundgarden - Spoonman 1990s
60. Squeeze - Cool for Cats 1970s
61. Steely Dan - Bodhitsattva 1970s
62. Steve Miller Band - Rockn Me 1970s
63. Survivor - Eye of the Tiger 1980s
64. System of a Down - Chop Suey 2000s
65. Talking Heads - Psycho Killer 1970s
66. Tenacious D - Master Exploder 2000s
67. Testament - Souls of Black 1990s
68. The Donnas - New Kid in School 2000s
69. The Go-Gos - We Got the Beat 1980s
70. The Grateful Dead - Alabama Getaway 1980s
71. The Guess Who - American Woman 1970s
72. The Muffs - Kids in America 1990s
73. The Offspring - Come Out & Play (Keep em Separated) 1990s
74. The Replacements - Alex Chilton 1980s
75. The Who - Pinball Wizard 1960s

Bonus Songs

76. Abnormality - Visions 2000s
77. Anarchy Club - Get Clean 2000s
78. Bang Camaro - Night Lies 2000s
79. Breaking Wheel - Shoulder to the Plow 2000s
80. The Libyans - Neighborhood 2000s
81. The Main Drag - A Jagged Gorgeous Winter 2000s
82. Speck - Conventional Lover 2000s
83. The Sterns - Supreme Girl 2000s
84. That Handsome Devil - Rob the Prez-O-Dent 2000s

GameBump Launches e3Feed.com

Tim Grube — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 07:51:23 -0500

So you're not going to this years E3 in Los Angeles, CA? Well, we here at GameBump (and now e3Feed.com) are happy to announce the launch of e3Feed.com that will automatically collect all E3-related stories from all of the web's top news sources. It is separated into four sections (all, news, videos, and previews).

Head on over there and be sure to bookmark the page!

Hey, We've Got A Gallery System..

Aaron Dunlap — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:05:13 -0500

See that new-looking thing below this paragraph? I hope you do, because it would mean that the gallery system I just built (from scratch, because I'm like that) is working.

Launch Gallery: Gears of War 2

(10 images)

Lucky that I should get it done now, at 3am the morning E3 begins and the floodgates of screenshots and media kits are opened. Like everything else on this site, it's still a work in progress, so any feedback can be left in the comments of this story.

Right now it makes nearly exclusive use of JavaScript, which isn't very friendly to most mobile browsers and people who think any type of HTML newer than baggy pants will explode their computers. A flat, static, boring alternative will be available eventually.

Launch Gallery: Strong Bad's Cool Game

(12 images)

E3 2008: Southpeak Games E3 Lineup

Zach Lott — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:43:47 -0500

SouthPeak Games has also revealed what to expect from their E3 booth:

Big Bang Mini
Brave: A Warrior's Tale
Brave: Shaman's Challenge
Igor The Game
Monster Madness: Grave Danger
Ninjatown
Raven Squad
X-Blades

They'll be set up at booth #426.

E3 2008: Hell's Kitchen: The Video Game

Tim Grube — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:29:25 -0500

Ubisoft announced today that it will publish Hell's Kitchen: The Video Game, for Wii, Nintendo DS, PC and Mac this September. The game is currently being developed by Ludia and is said to allow players to experience the show's high-pressure kitchen and dining room challenges as a faithfully rendered 3D Chef Ramsay watches their every move.

"I had a great time doing the voice for my own animation, said Gordon Ramsay. "Being in a video game is a new experience for me and I'm very pleased with the results.

After executing the three phases of an order preparation, cooking and service Chef Gordon Ramsay will score each meal. As they progress through the game, players will be rewarded with access to recipes from Chef Ramsay's own repertoire.

"Hell's Kitchen has everything a great video game needs: pressure, excitement and intense competition, said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft North America. "We are very excited to be bringing the intensity of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and the Hell's Kitchen experience to the virtual world this fall.

Gamescampus Hires New Executive Vice President David Chang

Tim Grube — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:07:44 -0500

Business, business, business! San Jose-based online game publisher, Gamescampus.com, announced today the appointment of game undustry executive David Chang as Executive Vice President of marketing and Business Development.

Chang will manage the marketing, business development and public relations departments for the company and will report to Gamescampus.com and OnNet USA CEO, Kevin Kim.

David Chang brings more than 11 years of game and media industry
experience to his post at Gamescampus.com. Prior to his joining Gamescampus.com, Chang served as Vice President of Business Development for PlaySpan, the game industry's first publisher-sponsored in-game commerce network.

Previously, Chang was active in IGN's highly successful business and
corporate development practice. Following the merger and acquisition
of IGN by Fox Interactive Media, Chang served as IGN's Managing
Director of International Business where he led Fox Interactive
Media's international content strategy, corporate development and
operational expansion into Europe and Asia.

"I am very pleased to have the opportunity to join OnNet USA as their
Executive Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for
Gamescampus.com" said David Chang. "Our goal as an organization is to provide gamers the best online gaming experience possible by offering a community-based free-to-play online video game portal with
innovative and entertaining products and I can't wait to contribute to
this awesome effort."

GB Review: Plushees (DS)

Eric Jonathan Smith — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:23:16 -0500

Plushees: cute but deadly... fun?

A simple glance at the cute-yet-frightening boxart of Plushees for the Nintendo DS and you might be tempted to group it with the multitude of low quality kids' games that have suffocated Nintendo handhelds for years. However, despite its appearance as a stuffed animal themed minigame collection, it manages to overturn poor expectations with simple and light goal-oriented gameplay. Plushees, despite its inadvertently unsettling exterior, is actually a solid choice for the right age group and may very well captivate budding gamers of the eight-and-below set.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Plushees' premise is simple: through the power of imagination or dark magic, stuffed animals have come alive and are naturally in need of love and companionship that only you can provide. To do this you must purchase plushees carnival-style with tickets earned from the game's two main modes, Arcade and Plushee Play. It will take a lot of play, as the 25 plushees you can purchase in the Plushee Store cost anywhere between 200 and 1000 tickets and run the gamut from monkeys to dragons.

Arcade mode consists of four games, Alley Ball, Ka-Plinko, Pop-A-Loon, and Whack'a Troll. These easy-to-understand pick up and play games are generally accessible to anyone and will be effortlessly consumed by the younger crowd due to their uncomplicated stylus control. Kids should have no trouble flicking the ball for points in Alley Ball, placing the disc to drop through the pins in Ka-Plinko, or tapping the screen with the stylus to pop balloons in Pop-a-Loon or fend off Shrek look-alikes in Whack'a Troll. Though none of these games complex, you will earn a couple dozen tickets or so in each session so even in short bursts you get a sense of progress and accomplishment towards buying new plushees.

Once you earn the plushee of your dreams you can use it in the game's other major mode, Plushee Play. Plushee Play includes four games: Simon Says, Jump Rope, Hide-n-Seek, and Butterfly Catch. Simon Says is like the memorization game of its namesake, only in this iteration you select which plushee acted out the correct command that either you or the computer selected. In Jump Rope you can make your plushee hop in time in two ways, either by tapping it in time or by drawing prompted patterns on the touchscreen, the latter of which is more frantic and fun. Hide-n-Seek might be more accurately likened to a game of tag and features your plushee as it runs around trying to hug other plushees by choosing the correct icon of the other plushee on the touch screen. Butterfly Catch is somewhat broken, as it is very difficult to perceive the depth of the butterflies your plushee is chasing around the screen; luckily, the game is lenient and you don't have to be too close to catch them. You earn points instead of tickets in this mode, but earned points can be converted into tickets, so these games still have incentive to be played. While the games in Plushee Play are a bit deeper than the arcade games, the arcade games still have a simple, general appeal that these lack.

Plushees' presentation is adequately cute. The stuffed animal cast isn't overly sweet, but certainly sport a classic soft, rotund look. When the game uses 3D environments, such as the one used in Hide-n-Seek, it's very simplistic but adequate. Special mention must be made of the techno track in the music selections: this trance-like tune is catchy but seems hilariously out of place given the game's context. The game also features a multiplayer option should you find another player with a Plushees game card.

Of course, given that Plushees is about earning stuffed animals and playing games with them, it certainly won't be appropriate for an older child who has already been introduced to a franchise like Pokemon. While some of the games are generally fun and somewhat addictive, such as Alley Ball or Ka-Plinko, the subject matter of the other modes might only be appropriate for children age eight or younger. But, given the straightforward goal-based nature of the game, Plushees still manages to stand out in a kids' market overcrowded with licensed games of questionable quality - and at only $20, Plushees is even easier to recommend to parents confused by the overwhelming mediocre choices available to young gamers.

Grand Theft Auto 4 Passes $500 Million

Tim Grube — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:25:21 -0500

Take-Two Interactive Software and Rockstar Games announced early this morning that Grand Theft Auto 4 has sold 6 million units of its criminal action game in its first week, with estimated retail sales exceeding $500 million.

Rockstar Games put $100 million dollars into the development process and quickly made all that money back and then some. Quite crazy how much game development is nowadays. It's pretty much the same amount of money to develop a hollywood movie.

The game is still selling at a whopping $60 a pop.

GameBump is Hiring! Be part of the team!

Tim Grube — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:42:57 -0500

I promise the flames die down eventually...

GameBump is officially seeking to hire talented writers who are interested in working within the gaming journalism field, so if you've got mad writing skills, have a drive for seeking out the latest gaming news and reviews, and know your way around a console or two, you're just what this new, fresh site is looking for. It also helps if you can take a joke (see above).

Applicants need not have experience working on another site, but they must include some recent writing samples to prove they're not in the fifth grade. Accepted applicants will be put on probation until they find their niche, be it news, reviews, previews, editing, interviews, editorials, or various features. Previous experience within the industry is an obvious plus, but mostly we're interested in people with a passion for videogames who'd like to join this exclusive, innovative team.

GameBump is also searching for additional programmers and graphics designers to help lighten the load on the rest of us; simply include the position you're looking at in the subject line of the email and our very own programming or graphics specialists will talk with you about specific knowledge you should already have.

At current all positions are volunteer, but you get free games, the chance to attend events/trade shows under the GameBump name, work experience, contacts, published material, and some flashy text for your resume. Also, you get to hang out with me and/or Aaron Dunlap - that's an experience that can't be replicated in and of itself.

We look forward to hearing from some great and talented people.

Instructions:

Include your position in the subject line, either: staff writer, general contributor, programmer, editor, or graphics designer
In the body of your email, include: any prior writing experience, your favorite game (and why!), your owned hardware, your preferred company (if you have one), how you heard about GameBump, what you think you can bring to the table, and why you're just dying to work here.
Attached, please include: at least one-two writing samples; this can be anything, but don't let it be less than 500 words. We want to get a feel for your style more than anything. And no viruses, please.

Send your email to me here and I'll respond to let you know I received it. If I don't respond, send another copy to here. Good luck.

Gears of War 2 Announced

Solomon Lee — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:51:07 -0600

Microsoft and Epic Games has officially announced, in their keynote speech at this year's GDC event, that Gears of War 2 is slated for a November 2008 release for the Xbox 360.

Check out the teaser trailer after the jump.

Wii Review Bonanza, or: Your Wii is Sick - Must be Something you Played

Eric Jonathan Smith — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 20:25:13 -0600

Kneel. Place hands on either side of the ceramic-like object. Wait. A sudden urge takes you, spewing the remains of a previous ingestion. You glance at what was just created; between the remains of what were once good ideas you see those extra things you tacked on that seemed like a quick fix at the time but ultimately caused their own regurgitation. You lament at the pain you caused yourself, but deep down you can feel that the pain is still there.

So what have you been eating? Or in this case, what have various developers been feeding the ceramic bowl in question, the Wii? Their own regurgitation, that's what - and a little bit of Nintendo's own leftovers for good measure. The Wii is the one that's sick, suffering from delirious spells of minigame collections, shoddy ports, forced motion control schemes, and God knows what else.

A little examination is in order. Five case studies have been prepared, each a different opinion of how Wii software appears. Some of it isn't too pretty but fear not, we might even discover a cure. So lean back, relax, and try not to throw that Wii remote into the tv.

CASE STUDY #1: AUTO MINIGAME SUFFICIENCY SYNDROME

Subject: Namco Museum Remix

PROGNOSIS: Sudden ingestion of too many minigame collections causes repetition, boredom, and possible suicide in large doses.

A certain kind of bug that especially has a tendency to bite the older and wiser is nostalgia. It can be a pretty nasty little sucker, causing previously sane and logical men and women to do foolish things like pine for dated graphics and simpler gameplay styles. As the years have gone by, once bustling arcades have forever shut their doors and the game consoles of yesteryear require a type of mouth-to-cartridge action bordering on fellatio to get the games working.

Namco's Museum series of arcade home conversions are some of the first treatments that should come to mind when considering ubiquitous, readily available classical cures. After all, every system under the sun absolutely needs multiple versions of Pac-Man on it, right? Namco has now made sure that the Wii is no exception and has released Namco Museum Remix, the Museum containing the nostalgic classics and you guessed it the Remix consisting of Wii-specific minigames.

However, it's not a good sign when a classic compilation makes you wax nostalgia for older compilations. That's not to say that Namco Museum Remix has any large, glaring faults: it is by all means a competent product, even if you have to roll around Pac-Man in lieu of a standard menu interface, which can be slightly annoying. But no, as with any other compilation, its success or failure hinges on its selection of games, and Namco Museum Remix drops the ball a bit. Sure, it has standard classics in Xevious, Mappy, Dig Dug, and Pac-Mania (you know, that are available on most of the other collections) but trades in Galaga for its inferior predecessor Galaxian (dear God, why?) In the games that no one ever wanted to play section, there's Cutie-Q (a poor Breakout clone) and Super Pac-Man and Pac & Pal, two rather poor sequels to the original. At least it offers Gaplus (Galagas sequel) as a sort of cruel consolation prize.

If this somewhat mediocre selection of its past was all Namco offered in Museum Remix, this collection would be DOA. Luckily, they put a slight bit of effort in its resuscitation: the titular Wii-specific "remixes" of other classic titles. Unfortunately, they aren't enough to keep this one alive for too long. However, they did get the nostalgic feel down pat! Feel like playing the rollercoaster minigame from Final Fantasy VII? Play Galaga Remix! How about Whack-A-Mole? Then Gator Panic Remix is for you. Granted, Rally X Remix is a rather fair version, as are Pac Motos (a Pac-infused version of the original bumping off the edge game Motos) and Pac 'n Roll. But the problem is that these suffer the same shallow fate as other Wii minigame collections, and in the few minutes that you'll be done with them you're then left with merely the arcade collection.

Diagnosis? The entire weight of Namco Museum Remix will rest on how much you like the classic arcade games included. Considering the selection isn't all that great to begin with, the weight will likely fatigue the classics in a relatively short amount of time.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

She'll eat the monkey.

CASE STUDY #2: PORTROENTERITIS

Subject: The Sims 2: Castaway

PROGNOSIS: Patients suffering from contact to shoddy, careless ports from other systems suffer from: shattered belief in console's viability, fatigue, and indigestion.

One of the oldest epidemics in videogamedom is that of the port. Whether it was arcade to console, PC to console, or vice versa, the word port has connotations of mediocrity and for good reason: many ports are sloppy, rushed, stripped down versions of the original. Even in more modern times, ports retain that sloppy, rushed feel when they stray from the hardware they were built on. Unfortunately, this has been a lazy way for developers to cash on the Wii's success.

One such wave that has plagued nearly every piece of gaming hardware to ever exist, past, present, and future is The Sims. Popular with 15-year-old girls of all ages, The Sims is an omnipresent choice with casual gamers, and logic would successfully conclude that it should end up on the Wii.

The premise is simple: after constructing your Sim on a yacht, something bad happens and he or she washes ashore on a mysterious, deserted island with nary a volleyball around to keep as company. Obviously a tropical island is a terrible place to be lost, so it's up to you to guide your Sim to his/her ultimate goal of getting off the island alive. And to be perfectly honest, the interface in which you'll be accomplishing this works fairly well; with the Wii Remote acting superbly as a pointer in lieu of a mouse, navigating menus isn't all that hard.

Too bad the menus themselves looked like they were ported from a higher resolution without the proper tweaking. The entire game really looks very simple and to be frank, boring. You could choose to stay on the island for as long as you wanted, but when it looks that dull, why would you? Jagged edges are more reminiscent of the graphical hell that was the 32/64-bit era more than a tropical Eden.

But, this is a simulation at heart, and that gameplay still works. The Sim will have to collect resources to survive with the help of monkeys (of course) and eventually should have a decent little living space set up. There are also various goals that you can find scattered across the island that will give you some objectives amidst the rather open-ended (if not mundane) tasks.

Diagnosis? Not as bad as it could have been. Wii Pointer functionality works well amidst the poor resolution and the gameplay experience isn't a complete throwaway. More hardcore gamers, stay away (if the name wouldn't make them do so already).

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

My, Soulcalibur. You look as beautiful as you play.

CASE STUDY #3: MOTION SICKNESS

Subject: Soulcalibur Legends

PROGNOSIS: Prolonged exposure to poorly implemented Wii waggle controls can lead to: madness, frustration, and nausea.

Having new ways to control games means that there will be new ways for developers to screw up their implementation. Even after decades with a pretty standard diagonal pad and any number of supporting buttons, some still couldn't get it right. Poor control is absolutely killer to a game's success and probably the worst blight it could have.

Enter Soulcalibur Legends. A spin-off of Namco's eternal (also, a mere shadow of its former self) fighter, Legends tells the story of Teutonic Knight Siegfried Schtauffen and his dealings with Soul Edge, the evil blade. Yeah, it's a fighting game story. What the hell do you want from me?

Though it may have been built ground-up for Wii, it plays nothing like it. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that it was built ground-up to be a cheap cash-in. Siegfried and the other Soulcalibur heroes you command all control by swinging the Wii Remote as you would their weapons. It's a good enough idea in concept. In execution, it's abysmal. Controlling attacks in this manner is ungodly unresponsive and makes you question whether simple button presses would have been better. Considering this is a central gameplay mechanic, this is inexcusable. There is no way that Legends could be an adequate action title due to this flaw alone.

The game is also cringe-worthy in the visual department. In some aspects, especially the environments, it looks like a launch title for the PlayStation 2. That might be forgivable, but the level designs are as monotonous as the enemies you fight. Character models fair a bit better, because they are based around the designs from Soulcalibur II, if not taken wholesale from it. Legends also suffers from the tired design choice of "defeat every monster in the room before you can move on". Please.

I found myself looking more at the menus and the art in the story sequences because, well, they are actually rather decent, and not just in comparison to the game itself. I'd be tempted to say that the menus are the best part of the game. When all is said and done then, the most hardcore of Soulcalibur fanatics will be able to eke something out of this game though I wouldn't go so far as to call it enjoyment. The controls are just too poorly implemented for anyone with more than a merely casual interest in the franchise.

Diagnosis? Highly contagious, and not in the good way. Contagious in that it will creep up on your brain and soul and make you regret every penny and second spent on it. Unless, of course, you're just a hardcore and gullible fighting game fan - those people are crazy.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Okay, so it's not the sexiest thing on earth. Maybe you can dig it.

CASE STUDY #4: THE MYSTERY BUG

Subject: Smarty Pants

PROGNOSIS: ???

Sometimes even the best doctors can get baffled. True to that, every once in a while a game will come up that makes you question why it was necessary to be in videogame form. Was it really easier to play Monopoly on a TV than on a board (Hint: no)? Much of the experience of such a famous and standard board game rests on handling those gaudy bills and tapping your piece of choice past go. In other words, the actual game could sometimes be boring, but having it physically in front of you kept you from falling asleep.

EA's Smarty Pants dares to go into this territory. It is a trivia game, not unlike the old board game pursuits of old. Each of its cavalcades of questions ranging from pop-culture to history has a multiple choice selection. There are a few different modes, including ones for both single remote and multiple remote setups, suitably nudging itself into party game territory.

So. That's it. That's Smarty Pants in a nutshell. Sure, there's some sort of dancing thing you have to do with the Wii Remote, but we'll not mention that any more for its own sake.

Is there a benefit to having a trivia game on a home videogame console? From my own experience, I'd have to say yes. Smarty Pants is actually fairly well presented, with voiceovers and decent sound effects that make it seem more like a game show than just a trivia game. The group mode, which requires multiple Wii Remotes, each acting like a buzzer, manifests this presentation style. As with anything trivial, in a group setting you'll likely find yourself shouting out the answers, as much as you may regret this in your memory later on. The fact that Smarty Pants is capable of this is something positive in and of itself.

Diagnosis? Smarty Pants is hardly a wonderful title, but it's not necessarily a throwaway. If you really want to play a trivia game on the Wii, it's a decent enough choice. But, uh, you know, you could buy a copy of Trivial Pursuit for less.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

I can't even tell what's bleeding.

CASE STUDY #5: NO MORE TEARS

Subject: No More Heroes

PROGNOSIS: Exposure to games designed for Wii from the ground up may cause: enjoyment, fun, laughter, and world peace.

"Will you do it with me?"

If any of the above games had asked you such a question, I hope by now youd have learned to at the very least understand the risk factors involved; simple precautions will keep your Wii from being subjugated to possible infection.

However, another game asks this favor, a game so dirty yet so clean, some would say downright filthy in content yet nearly spotless in design. "Will you do it with me?" If you're privy enough to hear those words uttered by Travis Touchdown, by all means, accept. Travis is the star of No More Heroes, a game with the distinction of being the near opposite of the Wii flu - it is a coherent, focused, original title using the Wii Remote in a startlingly effective manner.

The premise is straightforward but with spry delivery that never takes itself too seriously. Travis is essentially both a dork and a loser and while drowning his sorrows at a bar he runs into a mysterious woman named Sylvia who promises him he can be the world's top assassin all he has to do is off the rest of the world's top-ranked assassins. Naïve Travis of course accepts the offer, with his prime motivation being to sleep with Sylvia. Your prime motivation to play the game will likely be to see what outrageous and foul-mouthed things will come out of the mouths of Travis and his co-stars.

The game's structure is built around going after each of the 10 assassins. To get to each, Travis must pay Sylvia a fee, which he can earn by doing sidejobs like lawn mowing (seriously) and minor assassination gigs all within the façade of an open-ended environment and setting for the game, Santa Destroy. This environment is one of the game's faults because jobs and assassination gigs must be selected at specific locations before they can start, thus the free-roaming world really serves no other purpose than to add the filler of travel. Still, it is ultimately a minor issue.

How the story and gameplay unfold within each of the 10 main assassination missions is, in a way, underwhelming yet satisfying. Combat may appear simple at first, as pressing A controls Travis's attack, but Wii-specific moves come in the forms of finishers and grabs. If an enemy is near death, an arrow will appear on-screen, prompting you to move the Wii Remote in its direction for a super-violent finisher. Travis cuts his enemies into pieces, with blood and guts as exaggerated as his own persona. Later it is not uncommon to dismember entire groups of enemies at once, causing the entire game to slow down, ludicrous in its fulfillment. Travis also has a number of wrestling moves that are controlled by moving both the Remote and Nunchuk and do add a bit of variety. After every successful finisher, Travis also has a small slot wheel that can serve to make him even more powerful than he already is, providing temporary invincibility and the like.

No More Heroes is by no means a cure for the Wii's blues the game is not perfect. The aforementioned faux open-ended structure along with somewhat repetitive combat (the finishers never get old, however) and the fact that the assassin bosses take from dozens of hits to hundreds to defeat can sometimes sometimes leave a foul taste. But it lasts for but an instant in the presence of the rest of the game as a whole. Its language and bloody style may put some off, but if you're into that sort of thing, your Wii could really deserve the pleasure of doing it with Travis.

Diagnosis? While not a panacea, No More Heroes is certainly the type of original, short term treatment that the Wii needs in larger doses. A must-buy for anyone who needs a good action title for any system.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Rainbow Six is Done With Vegas, Says Dev

Aaron Dunlap — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:06:29 -0600

Don't expect to see highly trained counter-terrorist agents lobbing flashbangs over craps tables after Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. According to a developer for Ubisoft, they're done with the Vegas locale.

"We really feel that the story of Vegas is done," designer Philippe Therien told Eurogamer. "We've explored as much of Vegas as we wanted. For now, we're pretty much covered with Vegas."

He says they haven't decided on a location for future Rainbow Six titles, but notes that the setting might not always be the selling point.

I think setting a game in Washington D.C. might be cool, perhaps clearing hostiles from the Capital Building, the Smithsonian, and the White House, and maybe picking off a sniper from atop the Washington Monument. All of those things are within spitting distance of each other, so the frantic mission-to-mission pace could be maintained. Or would that be tacky?

Vegas 2 releases March 21st.

Epic Dismisses Gears of War 2 Reports

Solomon Lee — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:53:09 -0600

Following the latest issue of GamePro magazine displaying a customized Gears 2 logo, Epic Games VP, Mark Rein has shot down rumors of an expected Gears of War 2 announcement by declaring the reports to be "complete nonsense."

Mark Rein has issued this comment in the official forums:

"We have not announced a sequel to Gears of War to GamePro or anyone else for that matter."

Much speculation has arisen regarding the possibility of the unannounced sequel making an appearance at this year's Game Developers Conference.

Midnight Club: Los Angeles Box Art Unveiled

Tim Grube — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:04:58 -0600

Hot off the press this morning from Rockstar Games is the box art of Midnight Club: Los Angeles for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Enjoy!

Hit the read more for the larger images.

60 Minute Impressions With GTA IV

Tim Grube — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:31:08 -0600

Unfortunately, GameBump has not yet been able to get our grubby little hands on a preview of Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar, we're waiting for our invite, just shoot me an email!), but our friends over at GameTrailers.com got a chance to go head on with this massive title. Below are a few excerpts from their preview.

The build on display seemed close to finished with the full world realized and missions in-place. Another big aspect of this franchise is traversing whichever city its set in. This time its a return to Rockstars homage to New York, Liberty City. Its an absolutely massive environmenta network of boroughs attached by a series of waterways.

Carjacking has been made a little more involved this time. If you try to take an empty ride Niko will put his elbow through the drivers side window and hop in. Once inside the car, you work the right trigger attempting to hotwire it.

We won't paste the entire preview, but head over to GameTrailers website to get the full thing.

Sony and ESPN Team Up For X Games

Tim Grube — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:25:09 -0600

This is nothing new for Sony, but Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), will enable attendees to experience their own extreme gaming experience at the worlds premier action sporting event. Fans will be able to play upcoming PlayStation 3 and PSP titles at all the PlayStation marked tents.

The titles that will be on hand for playable action include:

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
Pursuit Force
wipEout PULSE
Burnout
NFL Tour
Demo of AOL Shoutcast for PSP

ESPNs 12th annual Winter X Games begins January 24-27 in Aspen, Colorado. Here is the broadcast schedule for your viewing pleasure.

New Resistance 2 Interview Videos

Shiva Stella — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 13:09:13 -0600

Video footage of a recent interview of Ted Price and Colin Munson of Insomniac Games regarding Resistance 2 (dated for 2008), the sequel to the best (or second best, depending on your love for Call of Duty 4) shooter on the PlayStation 3, has hit the Web.

Hit the jump to view all three of them, but keep in mind that the quality level is a little low.

The game is said to feature:

A huge co-op component featuring eight player story-driven campaigns over PSN (two player local) alongside single-player campaigns.
Sixty player competitive modes with a focus on squad-versus-squad combat set in huge United States landscapes.
New enemies including Chameleon and Stalker with total cloaking ability
Multiplayer class system. Three basic templates - tank with heavy weaponry, special ops for distance (bullseye modified with zoom) and medic.
Online matching - standard difficulty discarded for scaled challenges for team skill.
Partially randomised geometry making levels different with each play through.
Insomniac have been listening to players complaints about the first game and are also further tapping the power of the PS3 to give more enemies onscreen and improved AI. They are also working on a solution to the long checkpoints and health system.

Game Developers Conference 2008 Featured Speakers

Shiva Stella — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:33:41 -0600

The Game Developers Conference 2008, which is currently scheduled for February 18-11 in San Francisco, has published a list of featured speakers and topics under discussion for each. Here are some big names for the curious:

Peter Molyneux (Head of Studios, Lionhead Studios), on (surprise!) Fable 2 - The Big Three Features Revealed.

Peter Molyneux's stated ambition as a designer is to make FABLE 2 a landmark game. In order to achieve this three big design features have been added. The inspiration and rational behind these features will be discussed along with their evolution throughout the development process. The wider context of their impact and influence on the RPG genre with also be examined as the ambition is also to evolve the genre itself. The talk will be supported by retrospective videos as well as live game examples.

Ken Levine (President/Creative Director, 2K Boston) on (bigger surprise!) Storytelling in Bioshock: Empowering Players to Care about Your Stupid Story (sign me up).

Game stories can matter, even in first person shooters. But first we're going to have to give up a lot of our preconceptions about what people care about when playing a game. For too long, games (especially first person shooters) have been stuck in a "game sequence followed by story sequence" mentality. Ken Levine will tell the tale of how the BIOSHOCK took a pointy-headed idea about a pseudo-objectivist utopia and turned it into one of the most compelling and succesful game worlds in recent history. What were the tools used? What compromises had to be made? Where did the shooter end and the story begin? How did we make people give a crap? How did we use story and narrative to become perhaps the most talked about game at the super-crowded E3 2006? What does this all mean for stories in games? And must of all, what hell does "Mise En Scene" mean?

Chris Butcher (Engineering Lead, Microsoft/Bungie) on E Pluribus Unum: Matchmaking in Halo 3.

The online multiplayer mode of HALO 3 features an automatic matchmaking system to place players into games. Players may join individually or with parties of friends, and are quickly matched into groups. This presentation describes the algorithms behind the peer-to-peer matchmaking model, and its implementation over Xbox Live. It examines the impact of matchmaking on the HALO online community, and provides techniques for shaping the player experience and discouraging cheaters. The tradeoffs of an automatic matchmaking system compared to traditional multiplayer game browsers will be discussed, and illustrated by some results from the first months of HALO 3's operation.

Cevat Yerli (Managing Director, Crytek) on Crysis in the Making.

This session will offer a look into key areas of CRYSIS development that markedly depart from Crytek's first project, FAR CRY. Main topics include Nanosuit design and gameplay, creating a rich, destructible/non-linear world, and peopling it with dynamic, believable AI enemies that challenge and entertain the player.

You can view the full list of featured speakers here. If you're interested in the keynotes, however, you can find that here.

2K Seeking Tools Programmer for 'AAA' Title, Bioshock 2 Anyone?

Shiva Stella — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 13:10:45 -0600

Here's something that gives a little more credence to the Bioshock 2 rumors, as this 2K Games (2K Boston) job listing page now boasts several position openings (the newest being a tools programmer) that all just happen to mention the success of Bioshock and that the team is in the pre-production stage of their next "AAA" title... which may or may not be the anticipated Bioshock 2.

Also note that they're interested in people with Unreal/PlayStation 3 production experience which isn't unusual in itself but does leave the mind to wonder if this next game could be a surprise PS3 exclusive (highly unlikely) or if they're just looking to improve the PS3-side of their newest gem.

I know it's a huge leap, but one can certainly ponder the possibilities.

What's the Deal with Patapon?

Shiva Stella — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:29:03 -0600

Hmm. You look familiar.

While bouncing around on Gamestop's latest price-drop listings page today I happened to come across Sony's Patapon, a PSP game that looks very similar to the popular PSP hit, Locoroco (and that's not a coincidence).

While it's customary for price-drops to occur for really old games you should already have played and really bad games you should never touch, why is there a $10 drop for a game that isn't even out yet? Is it so horrible that they're dying to rid themselves of stock they currently don't have or are they just trying to solicit pre-orders? Or maybe it's merely a really nice deal?

I am become confused...

Bioshock Film in the Works?

Shiva Stella — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:00:01 -0600

Following word of a Bioshock 2-prequel being in development, it now seems that a Bioshock film is also under consideration at a "major film production company".

If the film is a go, according to a secret inside source, it'll rely on advanced green screen technology to animate the physically (and mentally) corrupted denizens of Rapture. Sounds wicked.

No word on a storyline or where the project would fit into the actual timeline of events (assuming that Bioshock 2 rumor is correct), but we're all ears.

Videogames to Blame for Child Obesity?

Akshay Masand — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:12:55 -0600

Steve Easterbrook, the chief executive of McDonalds UK, has recently blamed videogames for child obesity. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

Are videogames really to blame? It seems kind of silly and stupid of a company such as McDonalds, which makes its money stuffing the mouths of children (see above), to blame the gaming industry and counter-culture for unhealthy eating habits.

It must be the games that have been climbing the sales charts lately - I bet Call of Duty 4 is responsible for thousands of pounds gained over the holiday season, not those Christmas cookies.

Iron Chef America Coming to a Wii/DS Near You, Eventually

Shiva Stella — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:11:37 -0600

Here's something interesting for Food Network fans, as some eager gamers have been watching GameStop's listing for an Iron Chef title disappear... and reappear.

At current it's confirmed that the game is being developed and is based on the American version of the show (disappointing because it would be hilarious to play through the Japanese version, although this way you're almost promised to see Alton Brown); furthermore it'll release for the Wii and DS units, but as far as a launch date goes, that's TBA.

See you in the kitchen.

GameBump is Hiring: Now you, too, can be tortured by our management

Shiva Stella — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 22:55:28 -0600

I promise the flames die down eventually...

Include your position in the subject line, either: staff writer, general contributor, programmer, editor, or graphics designer
In the body of your email, include: any prior writing experience, your favorite game (and why!), your owned hardware, your preferred company (if you have one), how you heard about GameBump, what you think you can bring to the table, and why you're just dying to work here.
Attached, please include: at least one-two writing samples; this can be anything, but don't let it be less than 500 words. We want to get a feel for your style more than anything. And no viruses, please.

Send your email to me here and I'll respond to let you know I received it. If I don't respond, send another copy to here. Good luck.

Bioshock 2 In Development... and it's a prequel?

Shiva Stella — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:57:40 -0600

Those of you who enjoyed Bioshock will be interested to know that rumors are now flying that Bioshock 2 is both currently being developed by 2K Games and is a prequel, rather than a sequel, to this popular Game of the Year title.

According to the rumor now being reported on forums across the Net, a source within 2K is confirming the game's development. While it's only a rumor, considering the huge success Bioshock was for 2K it wouldn't surprise me in the least if it were true.

The original Bioshock received runner-up for GameBump's own Best Shooter of 2007 award.

Games For Windows Still Alive

Akshay Masand — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:50:01 -0600

Microsoft has made another CES announcement recently that many PC / Xbox 360 gamers will find interesting. In order to "revive" PC gaming, more Games for Windows titles are being announced. Amongst the titles addressed were:

Alone in the Dark by Atari
Bionic Commando by Capcom
Conflict: Denied Ops by Eidos Interactive
Empire: TOtal War by SEGA
LEGO Indiana Jones by LucasArts
Microsoft Train Sumulator 2 by Microsoft Game Studios
Sins of a Solar Empire by Stardock
Space Siege by SEGA
Tomb Raider: Underworld by Eidos Interactive

Microsoft also wishes to remind the public that these aren't the only titles being released for Games for Windows this year, as the anticipated Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures and Fallout 3 are also expected to ship soon.

Top Xbox 360 Titles Played for 2007

Shiva Stella — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:35:07 -0600

Everyone's favorite Major Nelson has updated his personal blog with the top Xbox Live games for 2007 based on connectivity. Data was collected from 1/1/07 - 12/31/07.

2007 Top Xbox 360 Titles (based on unique users, that is the number of gamertags that have played the game):

Halo 3
Gears of War
Call of Duty 4
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
Call of Duty 3
Crackdown
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Guitar Hero II
Forza Motorsport 2
Lost Planet

2007 Top Xbox Live Arcade Titles (based on sales/downloads)

TMNT 1989 Arcade
Worms
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
UNO
Bomberman Live
3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures
Sonic the Hedgehog
Pinball FX
Geometry Wars Evolved
Texas Hold 'em

2007 Top Xbox Original Titles (based on unique users, ie gamertags)

Halo 2
Star Wars: Battlefront 2
Counter-Strike
Battlefield 2: MC
Doom 3
Forza Motorsport
Madden NFL 2007
Conker: Live Reloaded
Call of Duty 3
Rainbow Six 3

Considering that Call of Duty 4 released on Nov. 20, I'd say an earlier release of a month or two would have put it above Halo 3 (launched Sept. 25).

Thanks, Larry.

GameBump's Most Wanted List for 2008: It's time for change

Shiva Stella — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 23:56:27 -0600

If 2007 taught gaming journalists anything it was that much has changed since the days of yore - no longer are we paying $30-50 for quality titles that challenge, engage, and entertain us as gamers. Instead we are forking out boatloads of cash for matching accessories, consoles we can't locate without ebay, games that require patches to actually operate, and new, disappointing sagas without endings.

In the hopes of promoting change for 2008, then, here is GameBump's "most wanted" list written by avid gamers and directed toward the gaming industry. If you've been playing through 2007's offerings and wondering if you're the only one who's been confused about the latest industry trends - don't worry; you're not.

Xbox Live. It's broken. Fix it. And give gold members some additional boons.

We are not paying $50 bucks a year to beta test your product, Microsoft, and the more than lackluster service provided during and immediately following the Christmas holiday is not something gamers expect from the company behind the industry's current #1 console. Thankfully Microsoft is offering both its gold and silver members a free Xbox Live Arcade game as compensation for the screw-up, which is nice, but we'd rather have the stable, reliable service we paid for. For 2008 we'd like to see zero hiccups from Live as well as bonus material implemented for gold subscribers to further differentiate between gold and silver membership.

Buy me.

Only ship complete, functional games to retailers that do not require patches or the purchase of an HDTV to play.

Gamers are wondering why they are spending $60+ on incomplete games, essentially spending more money for less game with pretty graphics. Developers, we beg of you, please do not release a title that is damn near unplayable and then expect for us to be happy when you release patches to fix what should have been functioning properly to begin with. If that means your game isn't on store shelves for a holiday, so be it; if it means delay after delay in order to get it right, go for it - we'd rather have a full, complete game upon release instead of playing through beta versions for the six months it takes you to launch a patch. Remember that the very first gamer in line to purchase your product the day of release is your target audience and your strongest support: do not forsake him/her by selling an incomplete product.

Now what the hell does this shit mean?

While we're at it, stop it with the "buy the sequel" endings.

We also don't enjoy games that require guides to decipher their ends; we at GameBump are especially tired of titles that end just as the plot is really getting good. An ending should tie together all the previous plot elements into a complete, cohesive picture that leaves the player with the feeling that he just spent 20+ hours of his life solving a mystery that was "worth it."

Hire more writers, or at the very least acknowledge that the average gamer is no longer a 14 year-old brat screaming "fuck the world" every time he's asked to clean his room.

Dialogue has joined plot design on the back-burner of game development as of late, with developers seizing the opportunity to portray content to an adult market by "faking" adult; "fuck this" and "shit that" every single line does not offer quality entertainment, and in fact does nothing but enable Nancy Grace, Hillary Clinton, and attorneys that shall not be named to insult the industry by pointing out our nonsensical violence and trashy dialogue. While we're on the topic...

Rockstar, you can totally stop with the production of incredibly, unbelievably violent, crap-games.

Especially those that provide no entertainment value whatsoever and actually sicken the player with their pointless, extreme gory action that depicts the industry as excessively violent for no other reason than gamers are just murderers in the making. If we never type the word "Manhunt" again it'll be too soon.

Companies other than Nintendo providing quality games for the Wii that are more than just gimmicks or kid-friendly bundles of playable joy.

We love Mario. Everyone loves Mario. Mario is quite possibly the most recognizable icon on the planet, and we just about swooned over Super Mario Galaxy and its stupendous release on the Wii. The problem as we see it is that every Wii game not made by Nintendo does not reach the level of quality that Nintendo itself strives for, and in essence, reduces the console to a gimmicky, expensive paper weight. The Wii is an interesting device that has the ability to differentiate itself from its competition thanks to the popular Wii remote, but Wii Sports and Mario's offerings from the 90's aren't cutting it.

It's been over a year since the Wii released - where's my Wii?

For that matter, where are the Wiis being offered at base price ($250) to customers who can not afford the $500+ idiotic bundles that retailers keep forcing down our throats? We'd like to see Nintendo take great steps toward increasing the Wii's availability at retail and forcing retailers to offer the console at base price. I'd buy a Wii and I might even play more than Super Mario Galaxy on it - assuming I could find one.

Where are the game rental services besides Gamefly and Blockbuster?

I've spent most of 2007 shuffling between Blockbuster and Gamefly for rentals and have been nothing but disappointed by the high prices of both. I would love to see some increased competition in this area, especially from a company that actually has games in stock to rent out as opposed to some of these other, more affordable "options" (affordable apparently means "out of stock").

What about implementing release limits?

Some of us are of the notion that publishers should go back to yearly release limits like those previously imposed by Nintendo of America. Now that a company can release dozens of games a year there is zero incentive for anyone to produce a quality title - the industry just wants something, anything on the shelf, which is usually a something not worth buying.

How about some original protagonists?

Maybe instead of a grizzly, 30-something, short-brown-haired dude starring in every game, how about a kid or a black dude or a female who doesn't belong on a Maxim cover? We'd love to see some games that actually reflected a realistic demographic, one in which all Muslims weren't terrorists and all women weren't damsels in distress or prostitutes meant to be run over by a Grand Theft Auto character in a nice car.

I'll have no more of this, thanks.

A return to integrity for the industry.

We encourage our gaming journalist friends to adhere to their own strict integrity policies before selling content to the highest bidder; we'd also love to see publishers spending less money on marketing pieces of crap in deceitful, gimmicky ways and more money on releasing quality titles. Remember Metal Gear Solid? The original Tomb Raider? Mario Kart? That first Final Fantasy you picked up pre-VII? These are games that managed to sell due to their own quality and innovation - they did not require nor rely upon multi-million (or billion) dollar advertising campaigns to get the word out. Gamers, who are the people spending money on games, will do your advertising for you; all the industry has to do is create and release a quality product. The consumer's purchasing power and the gaming counter-culture will handle the rest.

Gears of War Franchise Heading to PlayStation 3?

Shiva Stella — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 10:20:42 -0600

According to industry analyst Michael Pachter, Epic's widely popular Gears of War franchise (currently an Xbox 360 exclusive, with allowed PC ports) is probably headed to the PlayStation 3... eventually.

Pachter recently stated to Game Trailers that "we ('we' apparently meaning Patcher and his analyst pals) pretty much know that Gears of War 3 is probably gonna' come out on PS3." Pretty much, eh? Sounds scientific.

Pachter assumes that Microsoft has a two-game deal with Epic Games and that, barring any extension of that deal, afterward Epic is free to release GoW games on any platform it chooses. Considering the PS3's current lackluster offering of online titles (with the exception of Call of Duty 4 and Resistance: Fall of Man), a Gears of War game on Sony's catch-up console might definitely get some units sold - especially if it were a PS3 exclusive.

Meanwhile the rest of us anxiously await Gears of War 2.

Merry Christmas To All

Tim Grube — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 09:55:50 -0600

The GameBump staff would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Merry Christmas. GameBump will resume updating tomorrow, December 26. Save us some turkey and ham!

In the meantime, be sure to check out our exclusive short story written by our very own Aaron Dunlap.

[GOTY] Best Game of 07: The Orange Box

Aaron Dunlap — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 13:37:52 -0600

Despite what some award-show winners have to say, this wasn't a very excellent year for games. Think of the biggest, most-anticipated games of 2007 and think about how they turned out.

Halo 3 was probably the most anticipated game, and while its multiplayer component is pretty expansive, the single-player campaign (you know, the reason most of us buy a video game) was mediocre and occasionally downright boring. Assassin's Creed was another hugely-anticipated game, and it had the graphics and control scheme we all wanted, but in the midst of making all that it seems that Ubisoft forgot to throw in an actual game. What about Crysis? One of the most-hyped PC releases by the Microsoft camp? It sold less than 90,000 copies in its launch window.

Only a few of the anticipated games of the year really met anybody's expectations. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is, well, it's Call of Duty 4. You guys seemed to really eat up BioShock, too. Super Mario Galaxy is amazing as well. Our Game of the Year award is supposed to be about innovation, though, and aside from being very well-made products, what this year has really innovated things?

What about The Orange Box? Was anybody really excited for that? Were leaked screenshots filtering onto the web and rumors flying like they were for Halo 3? Not so much. People weren't really lined up the block to get them some Orange Box. Without much fanfare, it just... arrived. And when it did, our eyes were opened.

The Orange Box has three primary components and two secondary components. The big ticket items are: Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2. The not-so-big-deal items are Half-Life 2, and Half-Life 2: Episode One. That alone is pretty innovative. For your $50-60, you're getting 3 new (albeit short) games, one somewhat-new (new for consoles) game, and one game that happens to be one of the top-5 games ever made. How often does that happen, a game's expansion pack coming out and including the full game and the previous expansion pack plus two ancillary games that are downright genius by themselves?

Portal, though brief (for most people), is a brilliant game. At heart it's a simple puzzle game, but through unique means it is given more character than most full-sized games. The cake is a lie, I'm still alive, weighted companion cubes, this game has produced more internet memes per hour of gameplay than any other game could ever hope to achieve. It's complex and simple simultaneously, beautiful and ugly at the same time, charming and depressing in the same moment. The concept of portals is intriguing and a technological marvel, but it would be quite simple to make 19 levels of portal-puzzles become a boring heap.

Half-Life 2: Episode Two is another giant leap forward for the Half-Life 2 franchise. The Source engine has been spruced up with new dynamic lighting effects, a particle physics system, and a new graphics system to allow for beautifully expansive vistas to be rendered in real-time. The way the story unfolds around you and the ingenious-as-ever level designs are all top rate. People who haven't played Half-Life 2 get confused when people like me go on about how amazing the level design is, but once you've had a taste for Valve's work you can't stomach anything lesser. Play through Episode One, Episode Two, and Portal with the creator commentary system enabled and you'll understand just how much thought and work went into nearly every element of the gameplay design. Valve's games get months and months of testing and tightening before they see the light of day, and it all shows. The sheer level of quality in any of these games is just staggering when compared to the sloppy layouts, imprecise goals, and backtracking you find in most modern games.

It's a congested season for online multiplayer games. Halo 3 with its mega-millions user base is probably the most-played game right now and Call of Duty 4 with its perhaps-superior online element is drawing a lot of players, but Team Fortress 2 is still wedging its way into the market. Perhaps the longest-developed multiplayer game we're likely to see for a while, TF 2 has as much character as any other Valve game. It's not Counter-Strike in terms of repressed teenagers working out their social issues with actual guns, it's something better. It's something for everyone. Everyone who likes shooting folks, at least.

Let's not forget Half-Life 2 and Episode One and the fact that The Orange Box is available for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, so for the people who aren't PC gamers, this could be their first chance to play these games. That in mind, there's dozens of hours of offline gameplay in this box. It's easy to discount an "old" game as not being worth anybody's time, but Half-Life 2 should be above such trivialities, being again one of the best games ever made.

If I can talk for a moment about the endings of Episode Two and Portal, sure they're not exactly the definition of "closure," but they're also not shameless, unsatisfying, "Buy the sequel" endings we're getting from nearly every game this year, from Assassin's Creed to Unreal Tournament III to Crysis . There's a difference between leaving the people wanting more and simply forgetting to include an ending. The Valve products leave you wanting more, the other games just destroy any sense of finality to the ending and kick you in the shins for having the audacity to become attached to the story.

So our Game of the Year is a compilation of 5 other games, partly because each game is an amazing product on its own, partly because the whole concept of packaging them all together is pretty innovative, and partly still because it's one of the few games of the year that didn't leave me disappointed or annoyed after it all. If I could instigate any change to the gaming industry, it would be more play-testing.

Most games these days are only play-tested while they're being developed to make sure there's no glaring bugs preventing the game from working, and as soon as the game is done it's stamped on a disk and rushed to stores via overnight shipping. Some games get a few weeks of post-completion play-testing, if there's time. Episode Two and Portal were play-tested for six months, deadlines and launch windows be-damned. They're not just looking for bugs and glitches, but seeing how people play the game, making sure they understand what they're supposed to be doing. If a goal is ambiguous, or if people are frustrated by an element, they change that part of the game to make sure everything is as clear and as fun as possible. Play through the games with the commentary enabled to hear just how much work goes into each element.

If Assassin's Creed had been play-tested for six months, I imagine I would hate it a lot less. They might have had time to realize that the gameplay is extremely tedious and overly-repetitive , that the game spends the first 6 hours telling you to avoid sword fights and the last hour putting you in nothing but sword fights, that the plot is ridiculous and impossible to follow, and that everybody is talking way too much. If Kane & Lynch: Dead Men had received any play-testing, they might have been able to do something about the entire game being a train wreck.

If anything, The Orange Box and Valve deserve Game of the Year just for striving for quality in a time when doing so is unfashionable, but they're getting it for reaching quality in a time when it's seen as too much work.