The Mash Press

Kotaku Alternative, or Alternative Gaming Coverage

2012-01-20T02:24:00.000-08:00

Wanted to compile some somewhat alternative gaming news outlets that aren't kotaku. As well as some select reads.

Online
Killscreen - Review: Fallout New Vegas Add-Ons (It's much more.)
Siliconera - At least it's not kotaku,actually, they break quite a bit of news, japancentric gaming news.
RockPaperShotgun - Minecraft, Mine the Gap Feature
Gamasutra - the anti-kotaku?

Magazines/iOS
EDGE - DJ Shadow: My Favourite Game (Random feature pick)
Game Developer - Fantastic Postmortem features, not sure you can find these anywhere else besides print.
Killscreen - See above.

Steam
PC Gamer Digital - An intresting hybrid and has what looks to be some unique exclusive content. Such as the Bioshock Infinite feature.

Great Free to Play Videogame Resource

2012-01-16T21:54:00.000-08:00

Browsing Cheap Ass Gamer I came across a great video game resource, for legal, free, videogames.
Megazell's Free And Legal PC Games List! 2,145 Games And Growing!

Action - 484 Games
Adventure - 182 Games
Fighting - 78 Games
MMORPG - 134 Games
Puzzle - 91 Games
RPG - 103 Games
Shooters - 548 Games
Simulation - 156 Games
Sports - 39 Games
Strategy - 145 Games

That's just a taste, check it out! found via CAG

Podcast Recommendation (Videogames)

2012-01-16T21:26:00.000-08:00

If you feel like diggin a little deeper into the world of videogames, I highly recommend checking out the Indoor Kids podcast #19 and #22 w/@Dan Harmon are just all kids of fantastic, the latest episode has an interesting discussion on games as art.

Videogames 2011 Volty Awards

2011-12-29T00:04:00.000-08:00

Volt1up GOTY Award: Dead Island (Best use of Zombies in a videogame)
GOTY Runner Up: Saints Row 3 (underrated writing, it's not easy being funny, and it's not lazy)
Best game that didn't make the cut: Skyrim (burnout factor)
Best Co-op game of 2011: Dead Island (Coop is really polished)
Best Comfort Game of 2011: Uncharted 3 (It's fun to go back to that world)
Favorite Ending in a Videogame in 2011: Killzone 3 (You destroy a fucking planet)
Biggest Disappointment of 2011: Killzone 3 (you did it, 2 voltys for you)
Best non 2011 game played in 2011: OZ Confidential
Worst ending in a videogame 2011: Hunted: Demon’s Forge ( I got the bad ending and it sucks dick)
Best Videogame trend of 2011: All the Pay What You Want Indie Bundles

Check out a proper best of 2011 videogame list on Call of Podcast also a neat discussion on videogame AI

Battle Hymn of the Republic_/Judy Collins

2011-12-14T01:39:00.000-08:00

Was looking for the Battle Hymn of The Republic from the Rocket Science movie OST, and came across this rendition. Pretty awesome, although it dosen't have my favorite lyrics

He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword

(because I loved The Grapes of Wrath)
anyway, I've been finding some cool stuff on spotify, heres the spotify link to the song.

DIY KIndle Case/Cover v1.0

2011-12-07T21:05:00.000-08:00

An old hardcover book, some rubber bands, and some elastic band.

[The ART OF CHINESE PAPER FOLDING]

New Wallpaper

2011-10-02T23:31:00.001-07:00

Netflix Recommendation

2011-09-02T02:35:00.000-07:00

The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu

WALLPAPER. vs GENESIS__//Hood Internet

2011-08-07T20:28:00.001-07:00

The Hood Internet - #FACEDDVALUE (Wallpaper. x Genesis) by hoodinternet

Cool Cars 2 Tokyo Wallpaper

2011-07-16T00:34:00.001-07:00

Pretty.

Full Size

Gaming Update. Now with iOS.

2011-07-02T22:39:00.000-07:00

1.Metro 2033
2.Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
3.Dragon Age Origins
4.Dead Space 2
5.Halo Reach
6.Singularity
7.X-men Origins: Wolverine
8.Dragon Age 2
9.Splinter Cell Conviction
10.OZ Confidential
11.Aphelion EP1
12.Portal 2
13.Mirror’s Edge
14.Limbo
15.BloodStone
16.Infinity Blade
17.Scarlett and the Spark of Life ep1
18.Infamous 2

Xbox Live Indie Games; There's even an MMO

2011-04-05T19:31:00.001-07:00

I've been picking up some XBLIG here and there, mostly stuff that catches my eye and is $1. There's a ton of stuff on there I didn't even know about, such as episodic games, FPS titles, Space sims. I mostly stick to the quick time wasters, avatar games, and some RPGs that cuaght my eye. For the really intresting stuff I'll really splurge ($3 bucks) although I think they can go as high as $5. Here's some helpful links that will make finding the interesting stuff easier. Get a cool game for >$5 and help out an indie dev.

XBLIG of the Week/(Indie Game of the week via DEALSPWN
Writting of Mass Destruction/(Trying a new indie game a day
Kobun's Xbox Live Indie Game Page /(XBLIG Reviews)

Review Aphelion: Graves of Earth/Lunatic Studios/Xbox Indie Game

2011-03-30T03:24:00.001-07:00

I picked up Aphelion: Graves of Earth back during the Indie Games Winter Uprising event (I recommend you check them out) and only recently after finishing DA2 did I get an urge to play it. I like to get into the minutia of RPGs and Dragon Age just didn't have it. Aphelion scratches that JRPG grinding/looting/upgrading itch, all for 240msp. Here are some quick thoughts:

Pros+

Robust RPG features (Grinding/Leveling/Crafting) for the money*
Cheap!
Sci-Fi setting
Not a JRPG
Rewarded for Exploring (treasure chests/loot)
Some memorable boss encounters
The Art-style

Cons-

Abrupt ending (You need to understand this Ep1, Ep2 is already out though)
Spiritually a JRPG:Random Battles/Typical Heroes
The indoor tile-set/ environments can look a little too similar, resulting in some disorientation

*The leveling system is pretty neat, it's like something out Mass Effect where you unlock certain powers when you put certain amount of points towards a skill. Simple but deep.

Verdict: Buy it!

Gaming Update 2011 Cont./Zombie Edition

2011-03-25T04:58:00.001-07:00

Currently Killing time with:
Aphelion: Graves of Earth/Xbox Indie Title/Sci-fi Throwback RPG- Very Cool, Will Wirte a Review sometime
Dead Nation/PSN/Zombies
Dead Space: Severed DLC/PS3/Zombies in Space
Completed So Far:

1.Metro 2033
2.Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
3.Dragon Age Origins
4.Dead Space 2
5.Halo Reach
6.Singularity
7.X-men Origins: Wolverine
8.Dragon Age 2
9.Splinter Cell Conviction

Did I really not have a zombie category before this? wtf. Also I bought the Xbox Classic Stubbs the Zombie on xbox live this week! Zombies! No I'm tired of them!

Games 2011

2011-02-19T13:03:00.000-08:00

This year Im keeping a google doc so I actually can recall what I passed in 2011

1.Metro 2033
2.Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
3.Dragon Age Origins
4.Dead Space 2

Dead Space 2 much more of a horror game, which I would usually avoid. It clicked with me about half-way through. Good sh*t, if you're looking for a horror game, Dead Space 2 is a GREAT horror game IMO. You know it kind of made want to go back and replay Dark Sector, which appearently has a one shot comic out there. Yeah... I think I'll check that out. I have enough games to hold me over for a while, but Im really looking forward to some Killzone 3 action. Split-screen!

Undercity

2011-01-30T23:21:00.000-08:00

More plz

"Call of Podcast" Episode 66 Metro 2033 Edition

2011-01-23T21:15:00.000-08:00

We sit down and chat about what we've been playing: Assassin's Creed II and Metro 2033...Later we get into our main topic, which is the dumbing down of otherwise fine and accessible games to appease the lowest common denominator.

Listen

The Hood Internet

2011-01-19T00:22:00.001-08:00

The Hood Internet - Magic Haters (Maino x Crystal Castles) by hoodinternet

TV Season

2011-01-17T22:57:00.001-08:00

Hey,what the fuck is this?

Gaming in 2011

2011-01-10T16:25:00.000-08:00

Games Completed:
Metro 2033
Assassin's Creed : Brotherhood

Games Acquired in 2011:
Jedi Knight : Jedi Academy
Jedi Knight: Jedi Outcast
Crysis
Crysis: Warhead
Bioshock 2

2010 Carry-over:
Machinarium
Far Cry 2
Steam Backlog
Halo Reach
Dragon Age Origins
+more

Also some neat posters via gamespy?

Playlist. GUNZ Edition

2010-11-22T02:40:00.000-08:00

Have been Playing...

Resonance of Fate
Cool game. Very cool looking battles(if you dont know your primary weapons are all guns.) You wouldnt mind grinding if the leveling system wasnt so poorly executed. But it's bearable if you convince yourself that this too is part of the strategy. Can also be brutal difficulty wise. Mainly Boss fights. But Im glad to see games that evolve the Turn Based Strategy genre (see: Valkyria Chronicles)

Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood
FPS. Cool game so far. Only about 1-2hrs in. I wanted a game where I could shoot some shit. This satisfies that need since, Im not really a Call of Duty kind of guy.

Kane & Lynch: Dog Days
The camera effect is super cool, especially when you're running. Sometimes the hand-held camera look makes it hard to spot enemies though. Overall...a little better than I expected (I liked the first one, for the record) Really the main attractions here are Kane & Lynch, some of the best anti-heroes out there.

Backlog//
The Witcher
Bioshock 2
Rez HD
Limbo
Wolverine Game
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Steam Shit

Also picked up Age of Empires III for ten fucking cents.
I'll do a Read-list later.

Sgt. Paul Douglas, he's from Army

2010-10-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

Fearsome Pimpz Guild

2010-09-30T00:40:00.000-07:00

Valkyria Chronicles II
10hrs~

I was surprised to see I'd already sunk 10 hours into this. It's good, works well on the psp. I have no problems whatsoever with the controls besides the fact that my analog nub is kinda busted and tends to wander (making me lose AP in combat.) Story so far is so-so and almost kind of optional. VCI definetly had a stronger story, so far at least. Im giving it a chance since the original's story actually managed to surprise me.

I beat Minecraft.

Also been playing a little Deus Ex- Dont know how much longer I'll keep playing this, it hasnt aged well. Plus I still have to play The Witcher, which looks awesome.

Also been trying out some card games, Zombie Fluxx (It's ok, maybe better with more than 2 people) and MTG (still learning the f'n rules!) Sidenote; need epic nerd dice.

Recent PC Pickups/Sales!

2010-08-26T14:09:00.001-07:00

Borderlands + Zombie DLC x2 - Good ol' LAN Action - $20ish/Steam
The Witcher Ultimate Edition-$7ish/Gamersgate
Deus Ex (original, never played)- $4 ish/Gamersgate

~~Probably going to pick up Mirror's Edge for $5 from ea store sale.~~

Hooray for sales.
EDIT:
Some decent sales going on over @ D2D
Might Pick up Titan Quest now that Im done with Borderlands

5 min Game - Little Wheel

2010-08-13T19:58:00.001-07:00

Clever, Nice Visuals, Over too Quickly. Also, made in Slovakia.

Play.