gamespot

The HotSpot - Kingdoms of Amalur, Darkness II - 2/8/12

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:09:09 +0000

It's not often The HotSpot crew get to use the phrase "ripped from groin to gullet," but The Darkness II gives us the perfect excuse. Mostly because that's a thing that actually happens in this game. With Darkness II and Kingdom of Amalur as this week's backdrop, Carolyn Petit, Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, Marko Djordjevic, and Tom Magrino rip into combat mechanics, from groin to gullet, one might say.

The HotSpot - Final Fantasy, NeverDead - 2/1/12

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:17:03 +0000

It's Japan week on The HotSpot, as Kevin VanOrd, Maxwell McGee, Tom Mc Shea, and Tom Magrino dig into Final Fantasy XIII-2, NeverDead, and SoulCalibur V. Three completely different games, but we manage to tie it all together. Or should I say, duck tape it all together. Also, what the heck is going on with THQ? We discuss.

The HotSpot - Spy Party - 1/25/12

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:47:35 +0000

Spore was bad game design. I didn't say it, Chris Hecker did! Sort of. Not really. The one-time Spore developer and often-time media distortion target joins Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, and Tom Magrino to talk about his compelling new indie project, Spy Party. Get the manual here!

The HotSpot - Street Fighter X Tekken, CES - 1/18/12

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:50:07 +0000

Mr. Street Fighter Yoshinori Ono joins The HotSpot for a few rounds (perfecting us, it was pretty impressive). But before that!, Maxwell McGee, Tyler Winegarner, Kevin VanOrd, and Tom Magrino reflected back on last week's Consumer Electronics Show, and try to make sense of maybe sort-of gaming tablets (aka Razer's Project Fiona), haptic feedback, stupid big TVs, and, of course, underwater technology.

The HotSpot - Mind the Generation Gap - 1/11/12

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:16:05 +0000

With Tom Magrino off gallivanting at the Consumer Electronics Show, Brendan Sinclair takes the host's chair and fumbles his way through a discussion on the future of gaming with Justin Calvert, Tom Mc Shea, and Carolyn Petit. What features do gamers want from the next wave of consoles? Will there even be a new PlayStation and Xbox to talk about, and if so, when? And who buys a $300 system because its backwards compatible with the one they already own?

The HotSpot - Game of the Year, and then? - 1/04/12

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:17:50 +0000

...and we're back. 2012 begins with a case of mild-to-moderate whiplash, as Shaun McInnis, Chris Watters, Tom Mc Shea, and Tom Magrino take a quick look back at 2011 and then a long look ahead at 2012. Can the industry with a straight face make 2012 a year of 4s, as 2011 was a year of 3s? Will Microsoft unveil the Xbox 720? Is the PlayStation Vita DOA? How many Wii U tablets could a Wii U tablet tablet if a Wii U tablet could tablet tablet? Answers are in short supply, but we'll speculate our asses off anyway!

The HotSpot - Star Wars: The Old Republic - 12/21/11

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:24:49 +0000

Why yes, this is the podcast you were looking for! In the final HotSpot of 2011, Star Wars: The Old Republic lead writer Daniel Erickson joins Kurtis Seid, Brendan Sinclair, and Tom Magrino to explain how one even goes about getting MMO gamers to give two craps about a story. (Hint: Make it good.) Also, did you know Daniel used to be lead designer on EA's NBA Street franchise? Crazy!

The HotSpot - VGAs, Gears 3 - 12/14/11

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:56:52 +0000

If one thing can be learned from this week's episode of The HotSpot, it's that VGA is not an acronym that should be pronounced phonetically. But Shaun McInnis, Tom Mc Shea, Brendan Sinclair, and Tom Magrino do anyway! Repeatedly! We also give our impressions of The Last of Us, Command & Conquer: Generals 2, Fortnite, and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, before Chris Watttttters puts a bullet in the week's show with talk of Gears of War 3: RAAM's Shadow.

The HotSpot - Skyrim - 12/9/11

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 02:03:49 +0000

Bethesda Softworks' latest Elder Scrolls title is clearly one of the best games to come out this year, even if its burdened by ludicrous glitches, idiotic AI, and less-than-compelling storytelling. What's going on here?! Join Kevin VanOrd, Kurtis Seid, John Davison, and Tom Magrino for a replay of our first-ever (and possibly last!) LIVE episode of The HotSpot.

The HotSpot - Team Meat - 12/07/2011

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:30:56 +0000

Content warning: Explicit language ahead, more so than usual. Now that we have that out of the way… Shockingly enough, The HotSpot plays home to real and actual news this week, as Team Meat's Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes swing by the studio to tease their next project. Taking lessons learned from The Binding of Isaac, Team Meat is cooking up a new roguelike, as well as an iOS project. One in the same? Perhaps. Tom Mc Shea, Kevin VanOrd, and Tom Magrino talk about the team's past and future, and somewhat awkwardly, just what happened to Tommy when he went to Hawaii this summer.

The HotSpot - To the Moon - 12/2/11

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 00:25:22 +0000

POW! Right in the kisser, straight to the moon! OK, I can say that's the first and only Honeymooner's joke you're gonna get as The HotSpot crew tackles the comedic, thought-provoking adventure game To the Moon. Shaun McInnis, Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, Van Ngyuen, and Tom Magrino seriously rave about this game for a full hour. Be warned: Serious and massive spoilers ahead!

The HotSpot - Infinity Blade II - 11/30/11

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:09:12 +0000

Infinity Blade II is no Angry Birds. Yeah, I said it. Shaun McInnis, Kevin VanOrd, Giancarlo Varanini, and Tom Magrino take a seat with Chair Entertainment's Donald Mustard, who politely informs us that comparing a game like Infinity Blade II to Angry Birds is kind of dumb. We also talk about the importance of creating a game that suits its platform, and Chair's plans to make use of the PlayStation Vita's ability to run Unreal Engine 3 (Hint: They currently aren't.) Shadow Complex 2 questions are asked, evaded.

The HotSpot - Saints Row, Need for Speed - 11/23/11

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:10:37 +0000

Of dildo bats and played-out tropes, The HotSpot crew tackles Saints Row: The Third and Need for Speed: The Run. Here me out on this: Including a bat shaped like a dildo--indeed, uttering the phrase dildo bat--is a progressive step for the game industry. Seriously, that's an argument that's made, as Carolyn Petit, Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, and Tom Magrino tackle played-out tropes in the context of Saints Row: The Third. Also, Need for Speed: The Run does not leave us breathless, panting, begging for more. I mean, after that run? We're not even winded!

The HotSpot - Zelda Skyward Sword - 11/21/11

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:10:59 +0000

First of all, oh my god spoilers! Whew, OK, now that we have that out of the way, Tom Mc Shea, Peter Brown, and Tom Magrino dig in to Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, a game that we will emphatically call pretty good. We also take a few live calls, some of which are on topic!

The HotSpot - 11/16/11 - Let's keep this short

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:11:50 +0000

In a cruel twist of irony, Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, Shaun McInnis, and Tom Magrino are booted out of CNET's studios early (eff you, Google and your new music whatsitsname!) during a discussion on excessive run-time length in games. The context? The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Assassin's Creed: Revelations, and yeah maybe a bit of Rayman Origins, too. Also, what's this? The 3DS is matching the Nintendo DS in first-year sales? Nintendo, you so crazy!

The HotSpot - 11/9/11 - Post-Modern Warfare 3

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 04:26:13 +0000

The HotSpot enters its adolescent years in its journey to video competency, and what better way to celebrate that milestone than with the game on loads of adolescent boys' wishlists, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Chris Waters, Kevin Van Ord, Tom Mc Shea, and Tom Magrino delve into how fun, and amoral!, it is to wreck wanton paths of destruction in Activision's latest, before launching into the particulars of the leaked Mass Effect 3 beta.

The HotSpot - 11/02/11 - And there are dragons, obviously

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 03:47:02 +0000

Bethesda Softworks' Todd Howard educates the HotSpot crew on what his studio did differently with Elder Scrolls: Skyrim; also, how many prostitutes did you count in the first GTAV trailer? Todd Howard swings by the...wait, you don't know who Todd Howard is? Oh. How about: The guy who you have to thank for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (not to mention Fallout 3) talks to The HotSpot about his latest project, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Tom Mc Shea, Kurtis Seid, and Tom Magrino were there, and were totally entertained. We also parse the first Grand Theft Auto V trailer and bemoan the state of Nintendo's financial affairs. And hey, want to win a free copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3? Tune in to find out how! Editor's note: This blurb is an SEO fiend's wet dream. Did you see how many times I name-checked Kurtis Seid??

The HotSpot - 10/12/11 - The End of the HotSpot as We Now Know It

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:49:26 +0000

Yeah, you read that title right: The HotSpot is transitioning to a video format next week. But the show As We Now Know It must go on, and the disembodied voices of Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, Justin Calvert, and Tom Magrino are here to talk Forza 4, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, Dead Rising 2: Off The Record, Mass Effect 3 multiplayer, and, erm, the late Steve Jobs.

The HotSpot - 09/28/11 - Afraid of the Dark Souls

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:47:41 +0000

GameSpot editors prove that they don't hate PC games and talk about that wormlike thing that is growing on Kevin's head... in Dark Souls. Jody Robinson makes an appearance to represent the community. Also, Sophia Tong begins her farewell tour by substitute hosting, and reviewers Kevin VanOrd and Carolyn Petit round out an (almost all-female) panel in this week's HotSpot!

The HotSpot - 09/21/11 - Gears got soul

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:45:52 +0000

Some said it was a fight that could not be won, a useless and feeble toil that would end only in anguish, remorse, and the second-guessing of formative action. But doomists be damned, Epic Games dodged a bros to the close finish for Gears of War 3, and Chris Watters, Kevin Van Ord, Marko Djordjevic, Maxwell McGee, and Tom Magrino tell you why. Also: Up-skirt shots from TGS!

The HotSpot - 09/14/11 - Jonathan Blow, can I get a Witness?

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:44:21 +0000

The HotSpot asks Braid and The Witness creator Jonathan Blow to stop by the studio. In turn, he, erm, veritably carpet bombs Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, Shaun McInnis, and Tom Magrino with game-design insight. And then Tom Mc Shea said this: "Braid isn't a game I'd really classify as fun." So, in sum, things went pretty well. Pretty, pretty well.

The HotSpot - 09/07/11 - Guns! Guns! Guns!

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:42:47 +0000

Look everyone, triplets! And oh my god... they're all holding rifles. They're coming right for us! Run! Err... Tom Mc Shea, Kurtis Seid, Shaun McInnis, (sort of) Chris Watters, and Tom Magrino take a fresh look at Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 in the wake of last week's COD XP event. We then take a trip down the desultory road that is Resistance 3, and wrap up with why, actually, you can't murder children in Battlefield 3. See? Triplets!

The HotSpot - 08/31/11 - The Madden NFL Blues

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:41:25 +0000

Much to everyone's relief, Tom Mc Shea, Carolyn Petit, Marko Djordjevic, and Tom Magrino manage to spend 15 minutes talking about Madden NFL 12 without actually talking about Madden NFL 12. We then hand-off to Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 2, who promptly fumbles, Rock of Ages recovers, GameStop strips, and then someone is sacked. After an interception. That led to a field goal.

The HotSpot - 08/27/11 - Halo Fest!

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:39:34 +0000

Nigh on unusable audio be damned, we got a podcast to do! Halo franchise director Frank O'Connor and 343 Industries executive producer Dan Ayoub join Tom Magrino on the PAX Prime 2011 show floor to talk Halo: Anniversary and Halo 4.

The HotSpot - 08/24/11 - Deus Ex HotSpotina

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:38:45 +0000

What do Deus Ex and Kirby have in common? They both serve as an existential contemplation in a world where cybernetic enhancements have blurred the line between humanity and technology. I mean, have you seen Kirby eat? That is not natural. Sophia Tong, Kevin VanOrd, Shaun McInnis, and Tom Magrino also continue the conversation on 3D and the 3DS. We then take phone calls and make wildly unfounded accusations that now exist, permanently, on the Internet.

The HotSpot - 08/17/11 - Guten Tag aus Deutschland!

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:37:10 +0000

Guten Tag! Tom Mc Shea, Sophia Tong, und Tom Magrino kann von San Francisco werden Rundfunk, aber Gamescom hat Deutschland in unseren Kopfen. Lassige Ketzerei auf dem Menu mit der Rede von El Shaddai. Plus, Kettensagen! Viele, viele Kettensagen! (Das heisst, wir sehen, was was ist mit Gears of War 3 und Lollipop Chainsaw.) Warum ist das alles in Deutsch? Ich habe keine Ahnung!

The HotSpot - 08/10/11 - Hello, you are on the air!

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:35:42 +0000

Bodycount takes the truth in advertising award with its new mode that lets you honest to god quantify your kills. Kevin VanOrd, Marko Djordjevic, Carolyn Petit, Eddie Makuch, and Tom Magrino give this new mode some air time, while also taking a stand against pretentious indie games (namely Trauma). Plus, we see what's what with this whole live (-to-tape) calls thing that's sweeping the nation. Unmitigated disaster? You be the judge!

The HotSpot - 08/03/11 - 3DeadSystem

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:34:03 +0000

Never ones to shy away from tolling a death knell, Thomas Mc Shea, Ricardo Torres, Marko Djasdfkl;jewafkjl, and Tom Magrino dissect Nintendo's Hail Mary price cut on the 3DS. We also touch on Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet and Dead Island, and then shake our fists in feeble protest at Diablo III's persistent online connection requirements. During our Evo 2011 talk, Ricardo performs a tatsumaki senpukyaku. It was crazy, you should have been there.

The HotSpot - 07/29/11 - Terraria Spoilercast

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:32:29 +0000

Shaun McInnis, Kurtis Seid, Tom Mc Shea, and Synthia Weires explore the depths of Re-Logic's open-ended 2D exploration, crafting, and combat game. Along the way, Kurtis is revealed as a multiplayer Terrarorist, bringing misery to (and taking loot from) all those whose worlds he enters. 'Cause he's a big ol' jerk.

The HotSpot - 07/27/11 - Comic-Con Casualties talk Catherine

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:31:03 +0000

The HotSpot's under new management, and what better way to kick things off than taking an in-depth look at Catherine and wondering why oh why are we aroused right now? Kevin VanOrd, Giancarlo Varanini, Chris Watters, and Tom Magrino do just that with Atlus' sexually disorienting puzzle game, as well as talk about Ubisoft's From Dust and San Diego's Comic-Con.

The HotSpot - 07/20/11 - A Passion for Bastion

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:29:48 +0000

Greg Kasavin joins Tom Mc Shea, Maxwell McGee, and Brendan Sinclair for an in-depth (but spoiler-free) discussion of Supergiant Games' Xbox Live Summer of Arcade game Bastion. Then it's time to talk about the dilemma of sports reviews, a sobering month of NPD sales figures, and more!

The HotSpot - 07/13/11 - Harry Potter and the Botched Adaptation

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:54:28 +0000

Kevin VanOrd, Chris Watters, Carolyn Petit, and Brendan Sinclair are on hand to see if Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 sends the series out on a high note (it doesn't), if Ms. 'Splosion Man lives up to the combustible platformer's reputation (it does), and if griefing Kingdom Hearts fans ever gets old (not yet!).

The HotSpot - 07/06/11 - Earth Defense Farce

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:52:58 +0000

Kevin VanOrd, Shaun McInnis, and Tom Mc Shea shoot the breeze...and ants, spiders, robo-daddy long legs, and all manner of invertebrate invaders in Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon. Then, the panelists reflect on their Games of the Half-Year, sniff Team Bondi's dirty laundry, and weigh in on rumors of the next PlayStation and Xbox.

The HotSpot - 06/29/11 - The Free Speech Episode

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:51:36 +0000

The Supreme Court came down on the side of free speech in the industry's fight against a California law restricting sales of violent games, and Tom Magrino, Tom Mc Shea, Kevin VanOrd, and Brendan Sinclair celebrate by speaking a lot for free. Also, more love for Shadows of the Damned, Child of Eden, Alice: Madness Returns, and a special treat for those who listen to the bitter end.

The HotSpot - 06/15/11 - Never Bet on Duke

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:49:00 +0000

Duke Nukem Forever is finally out, much to the chagrin of Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair. Also, Mc Shea addresses the blowback from his Infamous 2 review, THQ shutters the Homefront studio, and absolutely everything's getting hacked.

The HotSpot - 06/08/11 - E3 2011 Conference Rundown part 2

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:47:33 +0000

Coherent thought has left the building, as GameSpot's Tom Mc Shea, Kevin VanOrd, and Tom Magrino string together words that are nothing if not English. In our discussion of Sony's and Nintendo's press conferences, we expound upon the Wii's new U and ways in which playing the Vita is a lot like tickling a small child. Special guest: vacuum cleaners!

The HotSpot - 06/07/11 - E3 2011 Conference Rundown

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:46:34 +0000

Chris Watters, Carolyn Petit, and Brendan Sinclair try to recap all the major E3 conferences in chronological order and fail miserably! The gang covers Microsoft, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft (and just a bit of Vita!) before the clock runs out on the first of two podcasts straight from the E3 show floor. Check back Wednesday night for the rest of Sony's show, Nintendo's unveiling of the Wii U, and everything else we can cram into our second (and sadly, final) E3 podcast!

The HotSpot - 06/01/11 - Infamous 2, Red Faction: Armageddon

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:45:37 +0000

Infamous 2! Red Faction: Armageddon! Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm! Terraria? It's a packed prE3 podcast with Tom Mc Shea, Chris Watters, Kurtis Seid, Maxwell McGee, Carolyn Petit, and Brendan Sinclair sifting through the latest scuttlebutt as we head into the biggest gaming event of the year.

The HotSpot - 05/18/11 - The Shifty Eye Episode

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:42:18 +0000

Tell me, do you want a new HotSpot? I have a dead bird's wing, some chopped-up bits of string, and a pen that's run dry, all of which say you do. ARE YOU CALLING THIS EVIDENCE FALSE?! Oh, you are? Well, OK then. Carolyn Petit, Kurtis Seid, Maxwell McGee, and Tom Magrino practice the fine art of zetetics as we discuss LA Noire, and then, hey, do some wenching with The Witcher 2. NPD drama, PSN saga, and Modern Warfare 3 bonanza are also on the agenda.

The HotSpot - 05/25/11 - Musings From the Infinite

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:40:46 +0000

Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, Ricardo Torres, and Brendan Sinclair trade in their scuba gear for an ornithopter. Why? Hard to say. It may have something to do with BioShock Infinite, which receives a healthy amount of chit-chat on this week's HotSpot. Other topics include The Witcher 2, Kung Fu Panda, Gotham City Impostors, and that new Modern Warfare 3 trailer.

The HotSpot - 05/11/11 - Podcasting on the Brink

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:37:39 +0000

After Chris Watters stops by for an opening salvo on Bethesda's class-based shooter Brink, the significantly less class-based quartet of Tom Mc Shea, Kevin VanOrd, Tyler Winegarner and Brendan Sinclair go all Kratos on Thor: God of Thunder, bug out over Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury, and answer a bunch of listener questions.

The HotSpot - 05/06/11 - The Portal 2 Spoilercast

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:36:06 +0000

Tom Mc Shea, Kevin VanOrd, Chirs Watters, Carolyn Petit, and Brendan Sinclair share their experiences as the latest Aperture test subjects and examine the hows and whys of Valve's much-loved sequel. Caution: Spoilers ahead!

The HotSpot - 05/04/11 - In From the Outland

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:34:53 +0000

Tom Mc Shea, Kevin VanOrd, and Brendan Sinclair take a trip through the Outland before shining a light on Darkspore. Then the gang recaps the woes of Sony Offline Entertainment, questions whether Need for Speed is putting on too many miles, and ponders the potential for game-themed musicals.

The HotSpot - 04/27/11 - Wii 2 and the PlayStation Not-work

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:33:08 +0000

Nintendo announced a new console this week, but Sony somehow steals the headlines as Ricardo Torres, Sophia Tong, Tom Magrino, and Brendan Sinclair talk about their fears for the PlayStation Network's massive security breach, their hopes (and pet names) for the Wii's successor, and a homework assignment crammed full of vaguely vulgar gaming terms.

The HotSpot - 04/20/11 - Portal Kombat 2

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:31:41 +0000

Shaun McInnis, Chris Watters, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair have laser-focused, tangent-free discussions about a huge week of new releases with Portal 2, Mortal Kombat, and SOCOM 4: US Navy SEALs. Also, Epic Games executive producer Rod Fergusson answers all our questions about the Gears of War 3 beta, rumors of Nintendo's next console start flying, and Sonic attempts an umpteenth comeback!

The HotSpot - 04/13/11 - A Cornucopia of Capcom

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:29:52 +0000

Shaun McInnis, Tom Magrino, Justin Calvert, Tyler Winegarner, and Brendan Sinclair recap Capcom's Captivate event, with impressions of Dragon's Dogma, Azura's Wrath, Street Fighter x Tekken, Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, and Resident Evil: Operation Raccon City! Also, Justin bangs the drum loudly in support of Patapon 3, and Nintendo lays out its second quarter release slate.

The HotSpot - 04/08/11 - Dragon Age II Spoilercast

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:28:36 +0000

Kevin VanOrd, Kurtis Seid, and Carolyn Petit share a spoiler-filled discussion of BioWare's latest fantasy role-playing game from start to finish on a bonus Dragon Age II-devoted episode of the HotSpot!

The HotSpot - 04/06/11 - Monster Season

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:27:28 +0000

Tom Mc Shea, Tom Magrino, and Brendan Sinclair make amends for April Fools with a sports-free show offering a hearty endorsement of DreamRift's Metroidvania-style Monster Tale for the DS, a hearty "meh" to PlayStation Move Heroes, an update on Sony's ongoing battle against hackers, and new games on the way for Spider-Man, BloodRayne, and Burnout!

The HotSpot - 04/01/11 - The Ball and Juice Episode

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:25:58 +0000

April is the busiest time of the year for HotSpot game-breakers Tom Magrino, Tom Mc Shea, and Brendan Sinclair. To mark the month's arrival, the gang goes around the horn with expert opinions, predictions, insights, and rants about all the hot topics YOU care about! Game on!

The HotSpot - 03/30/11 - Rubbing Is Racing

thomas.magrino@cbsinteractive.com (GameSpot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:25:06 +0000

For the overwhelming majority of you who have a Jimmie Johnson bumper sticker and a surgically raised eyebrow, I'll just say, wow, are you in for a treat. Sophia Tong, Tom Mc Shea, Kevin VanOrd, Kurtis Seid, and Tom Magrino manage a mostly coherent conversation about this week's top non-3DS releases, NASCAR 2011 and WWE All-Stars. For the rest of you? Duke Nukem's misogyny, Rockstar's (in?)competent storytelling, and 3DS sales records. Enjoy!