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Skyrim, Uncharted, And Portal Clean Up At The Interactive Achievement Awards

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:33:37 -0500

While the BAFTAs may just be getting started with last year's games, the 15th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards have already come and gone for another season. While not as highly advertised as the VGAs or even televised anymore, that's only because they actually give out awards instead of showing new trailers and watching Felicia Day be hot. I mean, she was there and hot, but at least we didn't see her eat cupcakes. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Uncharted 3, and Portal 2 ran away with the show, with Skyrim earning five awards including Game of the Year, and the other two games earning a respectable three awards each. For the complete list of awards, make the jump. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go be outraged that Rayman Origins was snubbed for every art award in favor of Uncharted 3.

Double Fine Adventure Exceeds Its Kickstarter Goal

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:44:59 -0500

Adventure Games: They lit up our youths, showed us the joys of that primitive thing known as DOS, and taught me the hard lesson that "Holy Christ an ogre for the love of god RUN" was not an input recognized by my computer. As time went on, they increased in sophistication, abandoning the archaic ways of text input-based commands, in favor of a more direct, "point and click" affair. While adventure games aren't quite the phenomenon they used to be (my heart will always beats for you, Sierra), they still exist, and the kids over at Double Fine Productions have brought it upon themselves to breathe new life into the genre with an upcoming game: Double Fine Adventure. The company was started by Tim Schaefer back in 2000. Those of my age group probably know him best from his work on Grim Fandango, The Secret of Monkey Island, and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge, though youngsters (and their god d*mn hula-hoops) may know him better from games such as Psychonauts and Brutal Legend. Find out more after the jump!

BAFTA announces Video Game awards: Bethesda clears a spot in their trophy case.

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:15:09 -0500

This morning The British Academy of Film and Television Arts announced their shortlist of nominees for game of the year. Batman: Arkham City Battlefield 3 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Fifa 12 LA Noire The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Minecraft Portal 2 Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Viewers can vote on these awards and the winners will be announced via youtube. At this point it kinda feels like Skyrim is the Titanic of video games, not in the doomed ocean liner sense, but in the overrated James Camereon sense. While Skyrim and the rest of the titles are all great games, there is nothing shocking here, this list is once again the most popular games of last year, plus Fifa so we get that it's European. Eight out of the ten games on this list are sequels and several are sequels to games that won this award in years past. Personally, I'd like to see more bold choices being made, like Catherine or... actually, I'd like to see new franchises being born rather than the same game we've been playing for the past twenty years getting upgraded. Move aside Link, it's time for a new hero to save the world.

Skyrim Updates

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:00:00 -0500

Bethesda has announced that the 1.4 update for Skyrim is now live for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 users in Europe. PS3 owners in the US should see it sometime tonight. In fact, it might already be ready to go by the time you read this. They also want to warn everyone that if you notice any strange in-game behavior immediately after installing the patch, you shouldn't panic. "This is a normal function of the script backlog temporarily correcting itself," they promise. For a full list of bug fixes and adjustments, you can read this list from when the PC patch went live. Also, the Skyrim Workshop and Creation Kit is now available free to anybody with a Steam account and a copy of Skyrim. So now we're going to see all kinds of mods that run the gamut from awesome/cool to bizarre/hilarious. Like the one pictured above that lets you choose the amount of body hair on your hero. You know, for when you're running around shirtless looking hot. More at this link. (I especially love the Death Star moon...)

Meet Nintendo's First Spokesdog!

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:30:00 -0500

I know this is kind of ridiculous, but come on — this dog is adorable. Nintendo of America has teamed with Uggie, the star of the Oscar-nominated film The Artist, making him their first official "spokesdog" so that he can spread the word about how much fun nintendogs + cats is for the 3DS!

"Uggie didn't have to sit up and beg for his role as Nintendo's spokesdog," said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "It's truly our pleasure to work with a star of Uggie's magnitude, especially to help animal lovers and portable gaming fans discover the fun of nintendogs + cats."

I had no idea, but apparently, February is Responsible Pet Owners Month, so Uggie is using his star power to help promote how nintendogs + cats can help teach valuable tips on how to maintain happy relationships with their four-legged friends. I suppose some of the game would translate into the real world on a pretty basic level, but I haven't played with or fed either Wilbur or Streaky in quite some time and they'll still be there patiently waiting for me if I turn the game back on again. In the real world? Not so much. Still, Uggie is super cute, and he's promoting nintendogs + cats as well as the Pearl Pink 3DS, so I couldn't resist writing about it. Even if the press release isn't entirely clear as to how exactly Uggie is going to be performing his spokesdog duties during the month of February. Oh, but it did mention that there is a demo of nintendogs + cats that will soon be appearing in the Nintendo eShop, so you can check it out if you haven't already. Spoiler Alert: It's super fun!

Vita Games Already Available On PSN

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:46:39 -0500

With not long before the Vita's North American launch, those who plan to snatch up the PSP successor can prep their wallets for some hot, digital download action. Serving mainly as a tease, while you stew in resentment toward a future that simple will not come, the early release on PSN does ensure that at least five titles will be ready at launch - thus giving oneself a handsome library the day of release - as well as reducing time spent at one's local video game retailer, thereby limiting exposure to the smelly, dead-eyed troglodytes that my bourgeois relatives refer to as "the working class." As revealed by G4, the games are:

Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational: $35.99 Uncharted: Golden Abyss: $49.99 Wipeout 2048: $35.99 Modnation Racers Road Trip: $26.99 Super Stardust Delta: $9.99 (PSN exclusive)

So for those willing to become Sony's guinea pigs early adopters of the Vita, and prefer digital downloads over physical media (I know you exist; I read the comments section), this probably comes as welcome news. However, one must remember the size of Vita games - on the high end, Golden Abyss is almost 2GB; other games average just over 1GB - which can eat up those precious, proprietary memory cards in short order, particularly if you're planning to download previous PSN purchases onto your device. For those more inclined toward actual game cards, it seems as though some GameStop locations are already selling Vita titles - Golden Abyss is currently listed as "in stock" at several locations in my Minnesotan frost-scape - though one would be wise to call ahead to confirm that it is available for purchase.

Put Your Hand On Kylie's Heart With The New SingStar DLC

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:00 -0500

Well, unfortunately, today's SingStore update has a lot of songs that I already have, but it's got one I definitely don't and can't wait to download! This week adds: "With Ur Love" by Char Lloyd Feat. Mike Posner "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" by Jackie DeShannon "Hand On Your Heart" by Kylie Minogue "Run For Your Life" by Matt Cardle "Storytime" by Nightwish "Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon "Don't You Want Me" by The Human League "L'Aurora" by Eros Ramazotti As well as a new song pack, '80s Part 4 that includes: "The Power Of Love" by Jennifer Rush "Alone" by Heart "Africa" by Toto "Love Is A Battlefield" by Pat Benatar "Rhythm Of The Night" by DeBarge I'm so annoyed that I already have three of the songs in the '80s pack. Otherwise, I would totally suck it up and get "The Power Of Love" even though I don't want it just for the other tunes. But I have everything else but "Africa" in Lips, and since I like that game better anyway, I'm certainly not going to double dip here. (I might do it in the other direction, if they were still releasing DLC for Lips... sadface...) So now I have to wait and hope that they release them separately because I would love to have "Africa." Of course, I'm still waiting for them to release the Adele song pack separately, and I'm glad I'm not holding my breath for that one... As for the main songs, I'm definitely picking up Kylie (although I really wish they could get her later songs, too because they're starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel of the early stuff), and REO Speedwagon. I love The Human League, but as with the other '80s songs, I've got it in Lips. Still, more Kylie is always a good thing!

February Is Official Gabrielle Month

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:30:00 -0500

It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but Natsume has declared February "Official Gabrielle Month." To mark the launch of the latest in the Gabrielle series, Gabrielle's Monster Match, Natsume is kicking off a month of promotions. I've already got Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove 3D, but if you don't, and you buy it through the Natsume store, you can get a free exclusive figurine of the adorable title character. And if you're a fan of Natsume's Facebook page, you can earn the chance to win one of them by entering the dream date contest where you tell Natsume all about your perfect evening with any Natsume game character! Oh, and there's also Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove: Monster Mix, available on WiiWare as well as her new puzzle game.

"We decided that Gabrielle's world would fit nicely into a fun and addictive puzzle game, and that is how Gabrielle's Monster Match began," said Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO of Natsume. "We really wanted to celebrate the launch, and thought that bringing back the hugely popular Gabrielle figurine was a great way to do it!"

Gabrielle's Monster Match is available now in the iTunes store for all iOS platforms. Beginning with a grid partially filled with the heads of Gabrielle and her monster friends, you move them around to match four in a row to clear space. But if your move doesn't eliminate any heads, more will be added in random open spaces, complicating matters for you. You can download the game for free, and an expanded version featuring additional quests can be unlocked for just 99 cents. I gave it a shot, and unfortunately, while it contains all the adorable gothic charm of Gabrielle's other games, the instructions on this one were a little vague, and I found myself learning trial by error. And I'm still not sure why sometimes you can't move certain pieces. It's not exactly clear. But if you try it and figure it out, let me know!

dannyTV's Top 10 Hottest Male Video Game Characters

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:43:56 -0500

It seems that every list of hot video game characters on the internet is exclusively comprised of Lara Croft and various other pixelated boobs attached to blondes. Well the men of gaming have a lot to offer as well: bulging biceps, pecs for days, and jaw lines chiseled from Italian marble. You may recall gogoedward's coverage of the blazing hot Muto Magazine spread that finally did Mario and Luigi justice. So let's give Bayonetta and Zelda the night off and take some time to objectify the men of video games. Here are my top ten personal favorite gaming guys.

Newlywed Couple's First Dance Is To Skyrim's "The Dragonborn Comes"

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:14:42 -0500

Every young lass dreams of what her wedding day will be like -- the flowing gowns, beautiful flowers adoring everything, the ancient chants of monks heralding a hero to save us from ancient evils threatening the world. This lucky bride got her wish with one of the most epic ballads to every grace Tamriel, the song The Dragonborn Comes, as performed by Malukah, from The Elderscrolls 5: Skyrim. Watch her and her groom's robotic glide across a dance floor while a bewildered audience stares.

How can I put this as elegantly as possible? Uh...not sure if want. Yes, that seems appropriately internet-speak for this blessed occasion. The world may never be privy to the decision process that led these two to settle on a video game song for their special day, but as long as they can refrain from naming their firstborn "Dohvahkin," then I think we can let them slide on this one.

Mass Effect 3 Embracing iOS

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:45:10 -0500

Indeed, Mass Effect is the latest series to hop aboard the iTrain (you may remember the iOS version of Dead Space for the iPhone), with an upcoming title called Infiltrator. Shacknews acquired a promotional pamphlet at a recent EA event, which describes the game as such:

Take the all-out galactic war in Mass Effect 3 on-the-go with Infiltrator, a fully-featured iOS third-person shooter showcasing stunning graphics and authentic weapons and powers from the Mass Effect series [...] "Inspired by the deep and immersive Mass Effect 3 universe, in Infiltrator players will help to free prisoners from a hostile Cerberus base and will receive rewards for collecting evidence of Cerberus' crimes along the way. Every completed rescue and intelligence discovery in Infiltrator will increase a player's Galactic Readiness rating directly through the Galaxy at War system in Mass Effect 3.

No release date has been announced, but those interested should expect to get Infiltrator sometime in the near future. According to the Shacknews article, "the iOS game will also unlock 'exclusive weaponry' for use in the main game." As unsavory as the thought of playing a shooter on an iOS device may be - I for one have a vendetta against touchscreen controls, particularly if the game in question is meant to replicate a game controller - the iPad in particular has shown that it's no chump when it comes to graphics and, as the earlier Dead Space video demonstrated, can be a step above the throwaway fun to which we've become accustomed with iOS games. Yet concern citizens of the Apple-scape may chirp, "But what about Mass Effect 3? Must I be parted from my iThing?" As it happens, no. ME3 will integrate with iOS gadgets through the "Mass Effect Datapad" app. As video from the EA event reveals, the app enables players to get updates on the war, via the galaxy map, receive messages from characters you have met over the single-player campaign, and perhaps most interestingly, "with an in-app mini-game, you can deploy troops and fight the war against the Reaper." Granted, it's doubtful that this will influence the campaign, but it's certainly interesting to see this sort of integration with portable devices. Integration with the iPad seems especially promising, and one can only imagine a future: a bold new tomorrow, in which tablets belong not only to rich folks, like myself ~~at least in my deluded fantasy of bourgeois comfort~~ but to whole of the the Great Unwashed, thus offering developers the opportunity to whet our collective appetite for new and interesting gameplay mechanics - either that, or an endless array of gimmicky nonsense.

Everything's Zen With This Week's Rock Band DLC

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:00:00 -0500

Harmonix has got some more '90s alt-rock for you with a three-pack of songs from Bush: "Everything Zen," "Comedown" and "Machinehead" will be available in the Rock Band Music Store for $2 each or as the Bush Pack 01 for $5.49. And "Machinehead" is the only tune this time around that has keyboards and the optional $.99 Pro Guitar and Pro Bass upgrades. And if you're not a fan of Bush... well, you're outta luck. Maybe next week. Until then, just enjoy this photo of their lead singer, Gavin Rossdale!

First FF XIII-2 DLC Is Out!

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:30:00 -0500

Square Enix has released the first in a series of downloadable content for the recently-released Final Fantasy XIII-2. In the Coliseum battle "Lightning and Master Sergeant Amodar," Lightning and her former superior officer stand in Serah and Noel's way. And after beating Lightning and Amodar, they can be added to your party. Additional episodes that will add to the FF XIII-2 narrative with new storyline branches for the characters will be announced and released in the future, but this one's available now on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and PlayStation Network!

Final Fantasy X Getting A Facelift

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:17:21 -0500

The Good Ship Nostalgia is once again nearing port, and in its cargo bay is none other than our PS2-era friend, Final Fantasy X. The existence of an "HD remake" was reported last September - it was originally meant to commemorate FFX's 10th birthday, back in 2011 - and there had been some hope ~~among those who aren't complete nihilists like myself~~ that the game would receive a proper remake, similar to FFIII and IV on the DS. Instead, as revealed during a Q&A at the Taipei Game Show, Square Enix's Shinji Hashimoto stated that FFX will be an HD "remaster" title for the PS3 and Vita, complete with shiny new pixels, and a (presumably) less shiny, yet suitably new price tag. While this may be a disappointment among those hoping for a true remake - and for those like me, a juicy little morsel, bolstering Sony's removal of backwards compatibility in later incarnations of the PS3 as evidence of conspiracy - I'm not terribly averse to the idea of purchasing an HD version of FFX. Aside from being quite a lengthy jaunt through Spira, it does hold a special place in my heart as the last Final Fantasy title of my youth. A trip through the wayback machine awaits after the jump!

Video: Wootini's Video Podcast #54

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:00:00 -0500

Well, this weekend I went to see an off-Broadway show and a movie, but still found time to play some games... despite this stupid cold I just can't seem to shake. Nothing new, but there's stuff coming on the horizon... but do demos whet your appetite or spoil the game? Ah, the age-old dilemma...

The Rhythm's Gonna Git Ya... In L.A.

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:30:00 -0500

I know a lot of people have complained when I mention some awesome upcoming launch event at the Nintendo World Store in New York City because they don't live there and can't enjoy it themselves. Well, now I have to admit that Nintendo is throwing a launch event that I can't attend! Nintendo is teaming up with iam8bit and Giant Robot for the release of Rhythm Heaven Fever for the Wii. The game comes out on February 13, but on Friday, February 10, from 6-10 pm, you can attend a special preview party... if you live in the Los Angeles area. The party will be held at the iam8bit Gallery at 2147 W. Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles, California. You can demo the game while enjoying food, drinks and music. There will also be uniquely customized T-shirts, posters and other goodies given away (while supplies last, naturally!). And while you're there, you can also submit clips to be included in a special Rhythm Heaven Fever interactive video experience. So now it's my turn to be jealous! The Rhythm Heaven DS game launch party was one of my favorite Nintendo events, and not just because I totally won the DJ contest. It's a really fun game. Not sure if the Wii version of the music-based mini-games will be as much fun, but at least if you live in LA, you can find out for yourself on Friday night!

Review: Soul Calibur V

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:18:45 -0500

I remember fondly sitting in my friend's basement, the two of us playing Soul Calibur II like mental patients. For months, we'd stare at the TV and pass the controller around like a cheap date, stuck in an endless phase of combat. The petty arguments that would arise over last minute ring outs, the deep connection we'd feel with our favorite characters, and that moment of glory when we had finally beat every level of weapon master mode. Over time our interest in the game faded as we moved on to newer games and, eventually, Soul Calibur II became a five dollar trade-in at Gamestop. Every time a new entry in the series is released I rush out to buy it and hope it rekindles my thirst for souls, but it's always a tragic disappointment. Soul Calibur 5 is no exception to this. It's not that the newest entry in the series can't stack up by itself; this is an enjoyable game in its own right. On a technical level, the controls have become tighter, the graphics are sharper, and new characters have mixed styles well with classic fighters. Sadly, the je nes sais quoi that made Soul Calibur II so deep and compelling might just be gone forever.

Capcom Wants You To Perform The Stunts You See In Games

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:15:17 -0500

Any awesome viral video worth its salt will warn dumb teenagers "Don't do this at home, you could die, stupid, and then you'd be, like, so mad." Finally, Capcom has broken the trend and begun to invite overzealous fans to emulate their favorite Street Fighter X Tekken fighters in a home video contest. Aspiring dancers are encouraged to emulate moves from two quick clip movies put together for this contest, remixing a dance routine of moves from both Street Fighter and Tekken to show those judges just what a dancing martial artist looks like. The contest invites both individuals and troupes to work together for the best impersonations of their favorite fighters. Bonus points for extra hadokens, of course.

The best dance videos will be put together on a short list, which then gets sent to a group of Capcom representatives working with the One Motion dance crew to find the two king of fighters (see what I did there?) and pit them against each other live. The winner then gets their routine made into a professional movie for all the geeks on Youtube to swoon over for years to come! Anyone looking to enter into the contest can send their entry to competition@capcom.com. And anyone looking for the Tekken move video can find it after the jump. For the rest of us, pretending to be professional martial artists means Youtube will soon be swarmed with hilarious videos of failed dragon punches and teenagers jumping off rooftops towards horribly shattered bones. Keep a weather eye, kids. Just kidding, we of course don't want anyone doing anything that might get them hurt. Please don't be stupid and enter this contest with a video of your little brother jumping off the second story roof while doing his best high kick. The medical bills will outweigh the dinner table story for years to come.

Get A Hands-on With The Vita

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:18:37 -0500

Despite my often tumultuous relationship with my PSP, I can't help but be seduced Sony's brand-spankin'-new SuperOval, the PlayStation Vita. As with its predecessor, the device aspires to bring the console experience to one's grubby paws, and as is inevitable, it will probably fall short of the mark. Still, for those of us who aren't expecting an on-the-go PS3 experience, the Vita is a prospectively fascinating device, if only by virtue of the fact that it joins the long line of "latest and greatest" handheld tech. Many of us have been curious to see how the Vita plays, and now, in this Foul Year of our Lord 2012, "more than 3,300 U.S. GameStop stores now have playable demo units of PlayStation Vita," according to Game Informer. The Vita will have a decent selection of demos available, including:

Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Little Deviants

Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational

EA Sports FIFA Soccer

ModNation Racers: Road Trip

Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition

Escape Plan

wipEout 2048

So if you've been curious about this pint-sized (or perhaps no so much) wonder-thing, and wish to get your own hands-on preview, head down to your local Gamestop and give it a whirl.

Oklahoma Lawmaker Proposes Tax On Violent Video Games

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0500

A lawmaker in Oklahoma (a state smack-dab in the middle of the US of A - I'm learning a lot about the country that neighbours mine, writing for this site) has proposed a one-percent tax on violent video games, claiming that they lead to obesity, bullying, and criminal behaviour. State Representative Will Fourkiller, a former educator and nurse, is the one tabling the law, indicating that he has personally seen how violent video games can affect people:

"A gentleman shot a police officer and stole his car," Fourkiller says. "He had been playing Grand Theft Auto." He can't believe there's actually a video game called "Bully" because he says bullying is often what happens when kids play these games. "Not everybody is going to react the same," Fourkiller says. "But I believe after hours and hours of watching the screen, playing the video game, being that person and taking on that role, people get desensitized."

So Representative Fourkiller (who voted in favour of a failed 2011 anti-bullying bill which would have included LBGT youth) is proposing a tax on all video games given the ESRB ratings Teen, Mature, or Adults-Only. The money from this tax would go to Oklahoma's Bullying Prevention Revolving Fund and Childhood Outdoor Education Revolving Fund. Critics contend that the law is founded on a reliance on contested research, is over-broad in its definition of "violent" video games, and is targeting violence in video games while excluding violence in other popular media. Indeed, we here at GayGamer have pointed out many of the difficulties with the current research on video game violence which make it effectively impossible to claim that video game violence causes societal violence. Time quotes its contributor Chrisopher Ferguson:

Quite simply, the research just hasn't panned out. For one thing, even while video game sales have skyrocketed, youth violence plummeted to its lowest levels in 40 years according to government statistics. Secondly, it has been increasingly recognized that much of the early research on VVG linking them to increased aggression was problematic: most studies used outcome measures that had nothing to do with real-life aggression and failed to control carefully for other important variables, such as family violence, mental health issues or even gender in many studies (boys both play more VVG and are more aggressive.) This was something the U.S. Supreme Court recognized when, after considering California's attempt to ban the sale of VVG to minors in Brown v. EMA, it stated on June 27, 2011, "These studies have been rejected by every court to consider them, and with good reason."

Meanwhile, Jeff Hughes of Digial Trends contends:

A glaring problem with the bill is that it seems to be geared towards a vague swath of video games in its definition: "'Violent video game' means a video or computer game that has received a rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board of Teen, Mature or Adult Only." That means, aside from obvious games like Fallout, Bully, Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty, the bill would be taxing games like Beatles Rock Band, You Don't Know Jack and The Sims 3...

Representative Fourkiller rejects the contention that he is targeting the video game industry, claiming instead that he feels the games should be taxed and that awareness about the issues of video games, violence, obesity, and bullying needs to be raised.