paranoid emdroid

women, combat and COD: guest blog

2010-11-22T10:59:00.000-08:00

Hi readers! It seems disingenuous to apologize for my lack of posting lately because to be honest I have been super-busy with a new job that is AMAZINGLY AWESOME. So you'll forgive me if my humble little hobby blog is a bit slow these days. With that said, I'd like to present the first ever Paranoid Emdroid Guest Blog! Please enjoy.

“Women in Combat” by Wolfgang Hammersmith

Women in the US Military: New Status?

Contrary to general public knowledge, women have served as active warfighters in combat in the US Military since the formation of the United States.
In many cases, their heroic participation was kept from the history books but recently there was an announcement by the US Military that women will now be considered as standard US combat personnel. This is odd as something old is being called “new.”
For nineteen years since 1968 I had top professional soldiers who were also women on my combat Teams where they performed equally with the men, and my teams recorded approximately the same number of outstanding performances in active combat for both sexes.
I fought beside women in combat who, because of their outstanding bravery and in some cases, sacrifice, deserved the Congressional Medal of Honor but were not awarded it. Israel has had women warfighters in their military forever where they serve with honor, and so have many other nations.
Women served with distinction in US active combat units operating in Europe against the Nazi forces there, but received little or no recognition. Wouldn’t it be nice if this announcement of a “new” status for women warfighters also honored the women who have served with heroic dedication who were overlooked in the past?
While I’m sure that won’t happen because the PTB (Powers That Be) won’t admit to that grand mistake, it’s well past time that women who serve in the US Military are recognized as high-quality professional soldiers, openly decorated for their bravery and efficiency in combat, and thanked for their service and sacrafice equally with men.
Women play FPS games with valor and success, echoing their soldier counterparts, and they fight just as well as the professional women soldiers I describe in my book BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY: GUNFIGHT!, women are also more efficient in planning strategy under fire than men, in many cases.
In fact, I believe it is important that female Gamers continue to perform with distinction in Game World, thereby leading the path to recognition for woman soldiers serving in Real World combat today!

Wolfgang Hammersmith is one of the best in the world at small unit combat tactics with many Special Operations Teams still using his “playbook” today. After 19 years in Black Ops combat, Wolfgang has written his first book “Beyond The Call of Duty: Gunfight!” about his stories from real life combat, and how things really go down when the lead starts flying. You can learn more about Wolfgang on his website at www.wolfganghammersmith.com/.

the sims medieval looks spiffy

2010-10-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

I have to admit I haven't read much about this newly announced title and actually just heard about it recently but I am pretty excited for The Sims Medieval! It's hard to tell at this point what kind of game this will be. From the footage in the promo video on the website (just about the only thing there so far) the Sims look pretty, um, similar to the Sims 3 peeps but I'd venture a guess that there are some additional gameplay styles thrown into the mix. It would be cool to see a full game built around quests and objectives like the ones introduced in Sims 3 World Adventures. Plus every Sims fan knows that Medieval styles have always been in high demand for custom content users so I can only imagine that an entire game centered on a medieval world will be popular. I look forward to learning more about this new Sims game, especially since it seems like it will be aimed more at the T-for-Teen crowd than some previous Sim-related titles lately.

my sims 3 ambitions follow-up

2010-09-23T09:51:00.000-07:00

I posted awhile ago (original post here) about enjoying Sims 3: Ambitions very much but having a couple of criticisms about it. I have to post again and say that after more time spent with the last Expansion Pack to have been released, I truly think it is a perfect EP. If you don't play The Sims 3 you might not understand a word of the following. I was wrong about the skills-to-career thing - it totally does work to register as a self-employed Artist, Gardener, Fisherman, etc. and this is truly awesome. Now your Sims can make a living doing seriously any skill-building activity they could want to do in the game.

I love that the EP introduced whole career ladders for these careers as well, so that your self-employed Sim has something to work towards. Plus you get those awesome environment-boosting medals and trophies, and occasionally even a celebration in your honor at City Hall. Another great thing about these new self-employment options is that it seamlessly works with World Adventures; you can go on vacation and go fishing, paint pictures, sculpt, or what have you and sell your stuff when you arrive home. Your Sim will get Wants related to his or her self-employment career as well so you can easily build up the Lifetime Achievement points where previously these were tougher for a craft-career Sim to get. The only problem I still have with this EP is the bug that makes a self-employment career incompatible with selling items at the Consignment Shop (one of my favorite additions to come with Ambitions) but for all I know this problem has been fixed in a patch (if it hasn't, it need to be!). I also stand by my assertion that some of the "minigame"-style careers like Ghost Hunting and Stylist are a bit repetitive but still sort of fun with some Sims.

I have yet to pick up the latest Stuff Pack Fast Lane but will probably buy it along with the new EP Late Night when that comes out in October. Thanks to digital downloading I no longer have to worry about taking up space with the many cases of Sims EP and SP add-ons.

i heart city-building games, y'all

2010-09-23T08:12:00.002-07:00

Since removing myself a little from video game news and current events, not to mention no longer working retail and following new game releases, I thought I might find my interesting in gaming dwindling. Luckily that hasn't really been the case. I've kept up with certain new releases that I'm interested in but I've also returned to a past love that I had nearly forgotten: PC-based city-building strategy games. Specifically historical ones.

It's funny, I've never really gotten into Sim City games (though I obviously love the Sims) but I really enjoy these older historic city-builders. I love the strategy involved and the difficulty level that keeps the game challenging for some serious replay value. I personally prefer real-time strategy or RTS to turn-based strategy games because I love watching the little units cruising around the map, building or fighting or whatever they may be doing.

I enjoyed a quick reply of the campaign of Age of Mythology but I think my true favorites are definitely in the Sierra city-building series based on real cities in ancient world history. I enjoyed some good times in Zeus: Master of Olympus before remembering about my dust-collecting copy of Caesar IV (purchased before realizing that it was too high-spec intensive for my computer of whatever year that game was released). I have since logged many, many hours into this game and I'm only like three scenarios into the main campaign. This one is truly difficult and does not let you win easily; I generally put numerous replays into every scenario as I learn the challenges to overcome in each one. I'm fine with this, though: it's so much better than a game you spend $30 or more on and complete within a matter of 10 hours or less. I know the strategy genre is not for everyone but if you're looking for an interesting and different kind of game from the usual shooters and RPGs, try a strategy game! I find that much like the Sims I feel creative when playing these games, unlike when playing certain console games where you feel like the game designer is holding your hand leading you through the game.

Anyone else out there love city-building games like I do?

i'm aliiiiiiiiive

2010-08-23T06:53:00.000-07:00

It's been so too long since I last posted and I have so many good topics to write on so I seriously will be back posting regularly after this summer hiatus. I really appreciate ANY readers out there and wish I hadn't been slacking so much this summer, since I managed to win a blog award (see at right)! I know it's not much but it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know that my blog is useful to peeps out there.

Anyway I plan on getting way more into detail on my latest exploits with The Sims 3 and my anticipation for the upcoming expansion packs (stuff pack due out in September, EP to follow in October!). I also have some sheepish rebuttals to make to my original criticisms of Ambitions in my post below. For now, I will leave you with a quick list of awesome old games I scavenged from my mom's house when visiting this weekend: Sierra's Pharaoh and Zeus (and strategy guides for both), Black & White Deluxe edition w/ Creature Isle expansion, Age of Mythology w/ Titans expansion, and the only non-PC game, Nintendogs Dachsund & Friends (okay not that old but still so cute). Looking forward to trying (hopefully not in vain) to make these old computer games work on my awesome "gaming computer" and 22" monitor!

Also, is it just me or was Sierra kind of the best developer EVER? They were responsible for seriously every game I consider one of my classic favorites, not to mention so many amazing series like King's Quest. I pine for those days of gaming!

[Editor's note: Oh. My. God. Steam has a full KQ 1-7 collection. Thank you Google! I need this just for number 7, The Princeless Bride.]

sims 3 ambitions

2010-06-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

The latest Sims 3 expansion pack, Sims 3 Ambitions, has been out for a few weeks now and I have to say that for the most part I am really loving it. Sure, I've got a few criticisms here and there but overall I think that this new career-themed EP has a lot to offer and enhances the base game and the previous expansions.

First of all, I love the idea.
Sims players have been twiddling their thumbs for years watching the Sim clock ticking away as their little digital friends spent time at the office, the science facility, or wherever they may have signed up for a job. This is especially annoying in Sims 3, which seems to lack the truly fast fast-forwarding of its predecessors. So, EA decided to gift us gamers with a bunch of new career options that let you immerse yourself into your Sim's professional experience.

In addition to several new career paths, Ambitions also reinforces the idea of self-employed Sims with some new crafts for your Sims to learn and profit from. This includes being a tattoo artist, a sculptor and an inventor. I wish the game had incorporated the existing self-employments of Artist and Writer, maybe even Athletic Trainer or Tutor, because it would be nice for Sims that make a living those ways to be able to register as self-employed as well. Still, the Sculpting and Inventing career tracks (haven't really tried the Tattooing one much yet) are pretty cool - you proceed through the career levels much the same as you would normally although the criteria for raises is based on profit solely rather than other factors like experience or jobs completed.

This brings me to my first real gripe about the game, and luckily it's one that I'm hoping will be fixed eventually with a patch update as EA often does. This EP introduced another cool aspect: the consignment store! Now if you are into painting, sculpting, inventing or even collecting, you have a place where you can sell your wares other than through Buy Mode, and even make a decent profit margin when you're more skilled. I love this idea, and enjoy the notifications and moodlets associated with it. However, as far as I can tell, if you are registered as a Sculptor or Inventor and you sell your stuff at the consignment store, those sales don't seem to add in to your profit on the Career tab. This is a big problem and means that if you're trying to advance through the career you can only sell your stuff in Buy Mode or with the 'Sell' option! It's a shame since you can make quite a bit more in the shop than through other means.

I like the new traits that came with this EP as well. Like World Adventures, the Ambitions traits complement the new professions and activities added in the EP. I think my favorite is Eco-Friendly, which makes Sims happier to ride a bike than take a cab, and prefer recycling to trashing stuff. I also like the Dramatic trait, as traits that are not related to a specific activity or profession can make the most interesting personalities (although Dramatic does help if you want to make a Stylist Sim).

The new Professions include ghost hunting, fire fighting, fashion styling and interior design and are a nice middle ground between self-employment and normal Sim careers. These Sims go out on jobs that get assigned during a designated 'on the clock' time, and they receive a weekly stipend in addition to payment for each job. The jobs are pretty cool and for the most part are fun and enjoyable, though I could see some of them getting a bit repetitive. Still, I applaud the idea because I think it enhances gameplay and incorporates Build/Buy Mode into Live Mode, which is an interesting spin on the original game. I also like the spooky music that plays during a ghost-hunting job! The new professions also incorporate collecting and creating, making this EP fit pretty seamlessly into the existing game.

Some of the other new additions include a junkyard where Sims can search for scrap metal to be used in sculptures, and more importantly for invention design and crafting. You can also collect and sell scrap for simoleans, but I'm not sure how worth it this would be except for the most destitute of Sims. Another new aspect is doing laundry - Sims can now own washers and driers, or visit a local laundromat to spiff up their duds. The laundry serves little purpose other than some positive moodlets, effects on a few traits and more stuff for your Sims to clean up around the house.

All in all, I am a happy Simmer playing Sims 3 Ambitions, and I look forward to hearing about EA's new ideas for upcoming Sims 3 expansion packs. Although I will say that I have learned from my Sims 2 experience - I only buy digital copies now! No disc to scratch, no bulky (and cheap) case to take up space, and I can play games without swapping discs. It's awesome.

syberia review

2010-05-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

I just finished playing Syberia and I can honestly say it's been awhile since I've had the pleasure of playing through a game that was so enjoyable and challenging throughout! Syberia is a true classic point-and-click adventure game and I constantly found myself comparing it to what I consider the pinnacle of adventure gaming, the Gabriel Knight series.
Syberia is especially like the second GK title, The Beast Within - both games share the same style of beautifully detailed still background art (one of my favorites from Syberia at right) with active objects that stand out and animated character sprites and cutscenes, plus the gameplay is completely driven by exploration and conversation rather than any kind of fight system. The puzzles in Syberia were often challenging but never impossible, although at times I certainly found myself wandering around trying to figure out how to trigger the next set of events. This is certainly a common phenomenon in adventure games and thankfully for the time-constrained out there there is a wealth of online resources and walkthroughs available to reduce the monotony of clicking through the same screens over and over again trying to find your way.

I wish Nintendo would license more games like this on the DS - and it's funny because Syberia does in fact exist for the DS, but it is a sad, sad minimalized version that in my opinion is unplayable due to how much important information (not to mention full environments and puzzles) they dropped out of the original title. This kind of point-and-click game is ideal for the DS and most of my favorite DS titles are from this genre. Still, it is nice to be able to play this kind of game on the computer and it is a testament to the beautifully drawn artwork that this game from 2002 looks fantastic on my 24" LCD monitor. If you're a fan of the old-school adventure genre and have never tried Syberia, seek it out, it's worth it! I've already moved on the sequel which I hope will be just as good, if not better, than the first.

red dead redemption is out

2010-05-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

The long-awaited followup to Rockstar Games' western shooter game Red Dead Revolver (for PS2 and XBOX) has finally arrived and it is receiving the top-tier reviews that most have been expecting. Hitting shelves this past week, Red Dead Redemption appears to have achieved what many major title games in its wake these last few years have been trying for but haven't reached.
The third-person shooter incorporates open-world adventure gaming and a beautifully crafted and expertly executed story and environment. It's currently holding strong with a score of 95 (Univeral Acclaim) on Metacritic and a hard-to-top 9.7 "Incredible" from IGN. Even previous skeptics are changing their tune having seen and experienced the big-budget production, vivid cinematics and deep characters that strengthen the gameplay style. Out for PS3 and Xbox 360, Red Dead Redemption is surely a can't-miss game for shooter fans out there, and also probably anyone who loves both westerns and video games. This one has potential Game of the Year written all over it if you ask me!

i support all girl gamers

2010-05-20T05:54:00.001-07:00

I mean it when I say that. I don't care if you play the games I play, you love sports games, ultra-girl-oriented games. I'm just glad that girls play games. Which is why I was slightly tickled (if not, to use her words, annoyed) to find a mention of my lil' blog at a new video game blog called OneGirlGamer. As I said, I'm happy to see anything out there about games from a girl's perspective but apparently she doesn't quite feel the same way!
Hers in quotes, mine following:

" Paranoid Emdroid annoyed me because, well, she focuses on ‘girly’ games and doesn’t really squish the myth that girls only play girly games. And clearly this is something I really want to focus on. I want to review those “hardcore boyish” games like Call of Duty or Left 4 Dead. I want to prove that not all girls who play WoW are pretty hunter Blood Elves. "

Thanks for the link, B-T-Dubs! I'll start here. First of all, if you read through my blog (over 2 years old at this point and with like 150x as many posts as yours) you'll see that I talk about a wide variety of games, including many of the Call of Duty games as well as both Left 4 Dead games. I personally don't play either title but then again I fuckin' hate first-person shooters with few exceptions. This doesn't mean I only like or play "girly" games though. I have played every title in the Resident Evil series, most of the Silent Hill games and as many Japanese-Horror themed games (Fatal Frame, Siren) as I can get my hands on. Furthermore, I think WoW is a vacuum of time, life and hard-earned money and honestly every guy I know feels the same way. You seem to think everyone should just like the games YOU like, rather than embracing the diversity of game genres out there.

" All her posts are about typical "that's a girl game, its easy!" games - like the posts on Wii Fit Plus & New Super Mario Bros. "

First of all, I love Wii Fit but you're nuts if you think it's because I'm like "yay, these games are so easy, I don't even need a controller!". I love Wii Fit because it keeps me motivated to get off my butt and work out and it's fairly effective as an exercise tool. Again, if you've read my blog you'd know how I feel on the subject. Also, I applaud Nintendo for doing their best to combat the growing fatass-ness of gamers around the world while also pulling non-gamers into the game industry with the promise of a fun new way to stay active. New Super Mario Bros. Wii? I never claimed to be a hardcore gamer but that shit is HARD, not to mention annoyingly frustrating and not that fun on co-op.

" There is no specific target audience for her blog, and she doesn't post regularly. Her blogs are short and mainly just raindom babble. "

LOL. Not sure where to start here. My audience is, honestly, me and my friends in real life, and anyone else who happens across my humble blog and likes what they read. I'm not really that concerned with how YOU feel about it because that's the beauty of the internet - you don't need to waste time on any site that doesn't interest you. I like writing about video games and I like writing "opinions, thoughts and rants", as the header of my blog explicitly states. Not posting regularly? It's called life. I used to work at GameStop as I assume you do now, and yeah, it was great if you like getting treated like you don't have a brain by your manager and getting paid $8.50 an hour, not to mention giving up your freedom during the holidays and having to talk to a bunch of idiots all day. I loved chatting with customers about good games and bad games, recommending games I knew they'd like, etc. I played a ton of games when I was working at GS because, well, I had time, I had a good discount and I could sign out games for free. I collected all the current-gen consoles over that time and still have quite a wide game collection, though sadly the consoles are a bit dusty at the moment. But that's because I now work full time, for waaaay more money than I made at GameStop. I also have an awesome boyfriend that I spend a ton of time with, and we play a lot of games together, but we also like to unplug and, you know, go outside and stuff, and we just don't play as many games as we used to, especially when un- or under-employed. So forgive me if I have slowed down a bit this year with my posting. I'm workin' on it. Talk to me when you have 300+ posts logged. Lastly, I personally think YOUR blogs are too long, very rambling, and not very interesting to be honest. You sound like the typical "Look at me, I'm a hot girl who plays games! Find me attractive because of it!". I also prefer quality over quantity and tend to meticulously edit my posts, babbling as they may be. Try it out some time.

Which brings me to your adoration of IGN. Not sure if you are new to gaming or something but IGN is a well-established gaming news site, not so much a blog and really not comparable to any blog that you or I would be able to maintain on our own time and dime. Dozens of reviewers and editors plus production staffers get paid to run IGN, and yet in my opinion? It's crappier than ever these days thanks to the jumble of movie and TV news amidst the game stuff. Not to mention that unless they are reviewing major blockbuster FPS games they tend to rush through their reviews, often not even finishing the games and in some cases clearly not having proceeded past the first level without casting judgment. If you read the comments in a lot of IGN reviews you'll see this is more often than not the case. Don't get me wrong, I still refer there for news occasionally but there are far more interesting game sites out there (Kotaku and GameTrailers, to name a couple) that don't follow such a cliched design format. From one game blogger to another, I suggest you get familiar with the wealth of gaming sites out there - it might even open your mind a little.

The last thing I really need to address is your seeming hatred (not to mention labeling of "girly") of Pokemon and The Sims. Okay, I have NEVER considered Pokemon a girly game. Sure, it's cute, but it also sells millions and millions of copies world-wide, and if you had been working in game retail for very long you'd know that the majority consumers are little boys that play DS. Just like 10-15 years ago it was little boys playing GameBoy. Also, I worked at a GS near a Navy base and we sold just as much Pokemon to the hot Navy dudes as we did to little kids and their moms. As for the Sims, not gonna lie - I love the Sims 3 and my blog shows it. I think it is a true evolution and culmination of all the Sims titles that came before it, all of which I have played extensively. And I don't just mean The Sims series - I've played nearly every Sim game back to SimAnt and original SimCity. I find endless entertainment in the variety of gameplay options that the Sims offers, and it even led me to my wildest YouTube hit with over 100,000 views at this point.

But really, the whole point of this whole post and the reason I felt so compelled to respond to your comments about my blog is that I think you are selling yourself short as a girl gamer. Think about it like feminism - aren't we all free to CHOOSE what kind of games we play? Should I need to play and write about "hardcore" (read: FPS) games to be a legitimate blogger? I won't even go into how I really feel about the FPS genre (okay I will a little - any idiot can run-'n-gun and blow shit up; try a game that makes you THINK and has lasting entertainment value past "haha i pwned you ur gay" killfests online) but if I prefer strategy and adventure games, does that make me less of a gamer than you? I think not. I've loved video games since I was like five playing DOS and 8-bit NES games with my dad.

Finally, since I believe in karma, OneGirlGamer, I'm gifting you with a spot on my prestigious blogroll. If you decide to do the same I'll consider this beef squashed ;) but if not, I'll just reiterate my point that I truly do support girl gamers of all kinds. I guess the one exception the the rule would be haters who don't get that not everyone likes the same kind of games, and that that's what makes the world go 'round. Peace and love!

argh why can't i play video games for a living?

2010-05-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

...Which is my way of saying "waaaaahh, I wish I had more time to play games and post on my bloooog" [/whine].
I do plan on getting back to regular posting here, I swear, but until then I wanted to share this awesome game site called BigFishGames.com where I have found some totally awesome games for both PC and Mac users alike. Firstly, I am finally getting to play Syberia - pretty hard to find for PC in stores, and the DS version is a terrible bastardization - and it is really great. It has beautifully detailed environments, cool characters and great voice acting (makes you wonder why big-budget blockbusters like Heavy Rain manage to fail there). Another game I'm enjoying quite a bit (and was about to beat when my laptop soundcard crapped itself and stopped working) is Dracula 3: Path of the Dragon. This one is set in Transylvania and, as expected, is a vampire story that manages to be pretty creepy and a bit bone-chilling at times! Both of these games are good examples of my absolute favorite genre, point-and-click adventure. They are both bringing me back to the glory days of PC gaming when people bothered to craft a good story, build characters, and make it challenging without getting too frustrating. LOVE. Anyway BFG has a lot of really cool games of all genres for $7 (Dracula 3 still sells in stores for $20 so it's a pretty good deal). Check it out if you're looking for a great source of games for both PC and Mac.

wii fit plus

2010-03-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

Last year when Wii Fit Plus was originally announced it was going to include an "improved, updated balance board with better measurement metrics". This turned out not to be true, and of course I had already decided to sell my Wii Fit on Craigslist in preparation for the new game complete with new board. Fast-forward to Wii Fit Plus getting released and of course it has the same old board, AND they release it as a just-software option for like $30 if you've already got the board.
At this point I decided to say 'screw Wii Fit' and I got EA Active instead, which is awesome. Aaaaanyway I finally decided last week to get a new Wii Fit Plus with balance board and I'm so glad I did. I've really missed working out with Miis! Upon installation it actually recognized our previous Wii Fit information, which was nice because it already had my profile loaded and ready to go. It was not so nice because the first thing Mr. Balance Board informed me of was that I had gained 14 lbs since my last Wii Fitting. Uggggggh not like I didn't expect but ugggggh again. Good motivation though! I was glad to find that Wii Fit Plus includes everything from original Wii Fit plus a few new yoga and strength exercises as well as a bunch of fun new balance games. It also includes a great feature that lets you build a custom routine that keeps going like EA Active, unlike original Wii Fit which made you select each exercise individually. This means it is much more like a workout and less like a game. With summer weather coming I'm glad to have another option for Wii workouts - I love EA Active but the two of them together offer a lot of variety and I think it will be easier to keep up on a routine switching between them. If you've never tried Wii Fit and are looking for a new in-home exercise system, give it some consideration - it's a lot of fun while also effective and great for record-keeping.

finally played new super mario bros wii

2010-03-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks to GameFly we've gotten to play tons of games we never felt like spending money on, and the latest of these has been New Super Mario Bros. Wii. I have played pretty much every Mario game in history and this one is definitely true to form. It sticks with the classic side-scrolling format of the older games rather than the 3D environments introduced in Super Mario 64 and continued in Super Mario Galaxy. The major new aspect introduced in this game is multiplayer co-op, which was a great direction to go in. For one, this lets you play with up to three other friends all at once, rather than taking turns with only Mario and Luigi; not only is this better for social fun but also means that if one player gets knocked out they can come back with additional lives as long as the others are still kicking. This is great if, like me, you generally suck at being careful and not accidentally jumping next to rather than on top of goombas. The flip side is that you can screw each other over by stealing items, crowding on platforms or accidentally (or otherwise) knocking shells at each other. This part of the game is less fun and caused a bit of pissiness at our house every time a fire-flower got heisted or one of us missed a crucial jump because of where the other one was. Still, it wouldn't be a good Mario game if it wasn't ridiculously hard, and true to form, you need to beat the castle in each world to save. These aspects make me glad we have this title from GameFly, but it's still pretty fun. It's cool to see the game with polished 3-D-ish graphics and the controls are tight as ever. If you have nostalgic memories of old-school Mario, this is a great follow-up title to try.

sims 3 ambitions!

2010-03-30T08:51:00.000-07:00

The next Sims 3 expansion pack has been announced and is getting pimped all over the online community, and with good reason - it looks awesome. Sims 3: Ambitions will give long-time Simmers their first opportunity to follow their little digital people to their jobs and watch them work for The Man. New jobs appear to include some fun ones like tattoo artist, crazy inventor and heroic firefighter. I think this is a long overdue addition to the Sims franchise; I've never played the console versions but if I recall correctly 'the Urbz' had some aspect of going to jobs with them. Anyway, this should be a great expansion to the Sims 3 and looks like it will incorporate some of the traveling aspects of the previous EP World Adventures. Sims 3 will have been out for a year by the time Ambitions comes out so I'm glad to see that the second EP is striving to be as awesomely game-changing as World Adventures was. Can't wait till June... Until then, Gamespot has a great Q&A with one of the developers. The Architect career sounds super cool!

mlb 2010: the show

2010-03-03T09:34:00.001-08:00

The latest installation of the Playstation-exclusive baseball franchise, MLB 2010: The Show dropped this week and while it is still the same great game that baseball fans flock to, it also introduces a couple of new features and different gameplay elements. For one, the online play is supposed to be improved. Additionally there are new ways to play, including the Home Run Derby element and Catcher Mode. The game also has improved daylight transitional lighting as well as a Movie Maker tool that lets players assemble different clips and replays into one movie to share. There are also 11 new stadiums represented in the game. The 2010 edition also adds the option for full 1080p display which is a nice addition but you have to jump through some hoops to get it set correctly. My one other quibble would probably be the soundtrack - as the girlfriend of an addicted The Show player I had come to love the 09 soundtrack and the new one is simply not as good. Regardless, if you are an MLB fan with a PS3 you surely won't want to miss MLB 2010: The Show.

worst videogame movie ideas yet

2010-03-03T09:17:00.000-08:00

There have been some real stinkers out there** when it comes to video games getting turned into major Hollywood movies these days but I have to say I don't think I've heard a worse idea yet than this one: Space Invaders is going to be a movie. Yes, Space Invaders, where you run back and forth trying to avoid getting hit with little pixel-bombs from invading alien ships in neat columns above you. Apparently Warner Brothers is trying to get the rights to the game in order to get this project into development. Can someone please tell me how this translates into a movie? I mean, I guess it could be like, any movie you want it to be really but it just seems kind of silly and specific. They should go in the direction that Futurama took it with Fry playing Space Invaders to do battle against actual space invaders. "Instead of shooting where I was, you should have shot where I was going to be!" Of course old games certainly tap into the hearts and minds of gamers that grew up with black and white 2D simplest-of-animations games, so maybe this movie will be a runaway hit... Have a hankering for some space invading? Play Space Invaders online for free!

Dumbest part of this story? The article below mentions that Asteroids also might become a movie. Asteroids!!! Has there ever been a game with less substance??

Space Invaders Video Game To Become A Movie

**note that three of the four stinkers mentioned are Uwe Boll creations. Keep up the good work, Mr. Boll!

desperation much?

2010-03-02T13:53:00.000-08:00

Wow, this is really sad. MLB 2K10 came out today and in what is clearly a desperately ploy to get PS3 gamers to buy it instead of its major competitor (and generally considered better franchise) MLB 2010: The Show, 2K Sports is offering a million-dollar prize to the first gamer to play a perfect no-hitter game in the 2K10 title. Players have from today until May 2nd, 60 days, to be the first player to reach this achievement in order to score. Of course you also have to be playing on a certain mode, and have recorded the entire game on DVD! So hopefully you anticipated the perfect game... or you are recording every game you start, just in case.

Laaaaaame is what I call this. We were in GameStop today and I actually heard an employee recommend 2K10 over The Show to a guy trying to choose, because of this chance at a million dollars. LAAAAAAME. Unless you are stuck on an Xbox 360, The Show is clearly the superior franchise and it's kind of sad that 2K Sports is resorting to launch-date promo contests to try to unload copies off the shelves.

MLB 2K10's Million Dollar No-Hitter Challenge

heavy rain WAS effing awesome!

2010-03-02T13:41:00.000-08:00

Haha. It's sad that it's been long enough since I last posted that I am able to respond to my last post from like 3 weeks ago. Oh well, being busy sucks. Anyway, we got Heavy Rain like the day it came out from GameFly and I have to say it was pretty much as impressive and awesome as everyone has been saying. The gameplay is pretty different from most other games (other than of course Indigo Prophecy, the previous title from French developer Quantic Dream) and decisions drive everything that happens. Do you want to be sympathetic to a crazy person or aggressive? Will you drink a drink or abstain? These in-the-moment choices are what makes Heavy Rain great, and also what makes it insanely replayable - every action can have serious consequences on how the game proceeds and what kinds of situations the characters find themselves in. You play as four characters in interwoven stories that occasionally overlap. The character models are amazing (and QD obviously knew this as up-close studies of each character's face make up the loading screens) and the crowd scenes are truly something to behold when you remember games where background characters were 2d still images. If I had to pick one thing to complain about it would definitely be the voice acting, however, which comes close to ruining the moment in several places throughout the plot. The kids are especially terribly voiced but many adult males in the game sound just ridiculous. Still, this game is really, really cool and offers enough varieties of outcome that it is definitely worth playing through multiple times. Plus the chapter organization makes this especially easy, letting you choose which chapter you want to play through and having those ramifications carry through to the rest of the levels. If you have a PS3, Heavy Rain is definitely not a game to miss.

heavy rain sounds effing awesome

2010-02-10T14:03:00.000-08:00

Wow, this game is just looking cooler and cooler the more I read about it. Heavy Rain, by French game developer Quantic Dream, is due out later this month but has been generating buzz for quite awhile. Not only are the graphics going to be siiiick (check out Game Trailers for some awesome HD videos of the game) but the plot and gameplay sounds like it will really be unlike anything out there already. The serial-killer storyline of course appeals to the horror/scary genre fan in me but the point-and-click adventure and discovery aspects of the game are what really have me excited. Decision-making drives the plot of the game and subtle choices will set your character down drastically different paths, so you can trust that this game will have a great replay value. Also, if you are a fan of quick-time events in action games you can trust that much of the actual action in this game will happen via quickly made button-pressing decisions. Kotaku has a great preview of Heavy Rain up that goes into great detail about what they are liking and not liking so far. Definitely looking forward to delving into the intricacies of Heavy Rain later this month!

Kotaku: Heavy Rain Review: No Wrong Conclusion

sims 3 high end loft stuff!

2010-02-01T17:59:00.000-08:00

The first (of many, I'm sure!) Sims 3 Stuff Pack is coming out tomorrow. High End Loft Stuff promises to "transform your Sims' homes into sleek, edgy lofts" with "sophisticated furnishings, must-have electronics, and cutting edge fashions". Translation: if you like your Sims to be hooked up and tuned in, you'll love this Stuff Pack. I know I will. Especially with the ridiculous level of customization available in Sims 3, the promise of new EA-made objects and clothing is always one that gets me excited. I love recoloring stuff into crazy matching sets and creating my ideal home setups and color schemes for my little digital people-pets. This Stuff Pack also comes with 10th Anniversary gift items from the Sims and Sims 2, including the electric guitar - perfect for your Rock branch of the Music career Sims! I will definitely be getting this Stuff Pack tomorrow, although I may bite the bullet and download my copy for the first time rather than buying yet another shoddy flimsy DVD case and physical game disc. Starting to see no sense in collecting discs when the game companies won't even bother to spend enough on packaging to get real DVD cases rather than those crap ones with the big hole in the plastic backing!

no wii HD on the horizon

2010-02-01T17:21:00.000-08:00

Those of us out there that try to defend the Wii as a valid gaming console have less hope for near-future advancements now that Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata has denied any rumors of an HD Wii in development. In his mind, the addition of high definition graphics capability would not be enough to make a new Wii console stand out and sell successfully. When asked about the possibility of an HD Wii during a Q&A session at an investors' meeting, Iwata said he didn't know where the rumors started.

"If I were asked if a Wii that's been made compatible with HD -- just high resolution compatibility -- would be bought by players throughout the world, I'd of course say, 'Do you think it will sell with just that? It needs something new.'"

Iwata spoke similarly of the handheld DS system, saying that it would need more than just better graphics to sell as a new console option. Personally, I think the DSi was already kind of a foolish upgrade and could have held off until more advancements were made to the handheld system, so we as consumers, in my opinion, are better off waiting for Nintendo's big move towards HD. I think it will ultimately be worth it!

Nintendo CEO Comments Suggest No HD Wii

backing up game discs?

2010-02-01T17:09:00.000-08:00

Now personally I am an anal retentive crazy person when it comes to my game discs (the boyfriend is even worse than me, he disapproves of a game ever being put in another game's case, even temporarily!) but for those of you out there prone to losing, scratching or otherwise effing up your expensive game discs, here's an alternative for you. I'm sure software like this has existed before, and I'm also pretty sure that most game companies would not approve, but if you want to back up your games, here's how to do it. I am as a rule very against piracy, especially when it comes to video games, so of course you should only be using this software to make backups of games you have already purchased. Again, not something *I* need with my immaculate game discs, but it might be of use if you make a habit of leaving game discs face down on the table or stepping on strewn-about cases. Or of course if you have an Xbox 360 that you plan on moving while turned on with a game disc in it...

mass effect 2 is a huge hit

2010-02-01T16:22:00.001-08:00

Not that that was unlikely to be the case or anything! EA and Bioware's latest Xbox 360 exclusive title, the follow-up to its 2007 space-based shooter RPG Mass Effect, is posting great sales numbers in its first week on shelves, especially compared to the first title's release sales numbers. Mass Effect 2 has topped the UK sales charts for this past week, beating MAG, CoD Modern Warfare 2 and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Fans of the original Mass Effect game get the added bonus that the sequel lets you carry a completed game file over from the first game, giving the player access to their well-developed Commander Shepard character from the original story. IGN gave Mass Effect 2 a 9.6 "Incredible" and it currently has a metascore of 96 and a user score of 9.0 at Metacritic. If you are a fan of the RPG genre and never played Mass Effect, you can pick it up used for... Wow, I was going to say like $18 but apparently the used price has jumped again, surely based on the success of the sequel. Well, $23 is not a bad price to pay for the original if you've never played it I suppose. Anyway, Mass Effect 2 seems good enough that playing through the first before taking it on will be worth it. Anyone playing it and loving it yet? I know my boyfriend is itching to pick up a copy but is practicing discipline and playing through the first one again before starting the sequel.

UK Video Game Chart: Mass Effect 2 the new No. 1

friday gaming rant

2010-01-29T12:05:00.001-08:00

It's been a crazy few weeks for me lately, I am in the process of moving on top of taking on full-time hours at my job so sadly I haven't yet been able to keep up with my resolution to post more often here. That doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about gaming on the regular though! Playing games is another story at the moment. It's been weeks since I've played a game other than Sims 3 and it's been days since I've played that! Bah, boo moving!

...Anyway. I have been in the car way more lately than I like to be and have been thinking a lot about the state of gaming and video game development in the last few years. I won't go too crazy ranting here... yet... but I wanted to introduce a new topic for discussion which is: What the fuck has happened to gamers' expectations?

I mean really. Maybe I just don't get the genres of games that sell in numbers today, but everything just seems so... dumbed down. The top games that get the best review scores and the widest demand just seem so... similar. All of them. You watch pretty cutscenes, you run around with one analog stick and control your camera with the other, and you hit a variety of buttons to kill stuff or blow stuff up. Different enemies, different weapons, different map textures, higher resolution... this is what is touted as depth in games today it seems like. I can be impressed by more advanced AI that games use to ramp up the challenge, but ultimately there is just nothing to video games anymore past shiny graphics, shooting control schemes and item/weapon collection. Now and then a game with a great plot comes out that manages to sell but for the most part the plotlines and story of popular games are just... not important it seems.

I've already gone farther than I meant to right now but I would be really interested in what anyone (anyone? Bueller?) might think about this topic. I know franchises like Halo and Call of Duty have hordes of followers that are happy to defend them but I'm just saddened by the way smaller, deeper, BETTER games just aren't getting made anymore. And when they are, no one buys them!

Future more specific topics on this theme will include:

What Ever Happened To Adventure Games?
Just Because I Don't Have A Dick Doesn't Mean I Want Games About Babyz and Ponyz*
Why Video Games Are Not A Good Replacement For Socializing With Friends In Person
The Lack Of Puzzles That Make You Think At All
Don't Make Movie-based Games, Make Movie-LIKE Games!

...and more. Don't touch that dial! But in the meantime if you read this blog and have an opinion on the matter please elaborate in the comments.

*Note: I might actually enjoy a game about Ponyz. But definitely, definitely not Babyz.

bungie and halo 3 help haiti

2010-01-18T16:51:00.000-08:00

The digital age we live in has made fundraising for global purposes a much more efficient machine than many could have ever imagined - the money and donated goods pouring into Haiti since the earthquake there is astonishing. This cause has allowed groups not often associated with doing good to contribute in new technological ways. One of the best recent stories out of the tech realm in my opinion is Bungie's decision to donate to Haitian relief funds via a unique method: gamers who decorated their Halo 3 avatars with a red heart are participating in a donation drive where every 1,000 players equals $100 donated, up to $77,000. This is a really innovative way to let people donate indirectly through spaces they are already spending time in and by contributing only their concern. I hope to see more charitable movements like this in the video game industry - and, really, it would be nice to see efforts like this before the major disaster hits. There is a lot of need in the world and with the global reach the gaming industry has achieved, it is certainly a big opportunity to get large numbers of gamers involved.

Gamers Doing Good: Play Halo & Help Haiti

If you're interested in other ways to donate to the relief funds helping Haitians in the aftermath, check out Google's excellent comprehensive guide to helping: Google Crisis Response: Support Disaster Relief In Haiti. Just another reason to love Google!

peta loves the sims 3

2010-01-15T17:48:00.000-08:00

I'm still working on being on top of all the awesomeness related to video games that gets reported on the internets these days so forgive me for posting a story that's a few weeks old. However, I think this is just totally blogworthy! The Sims 3 and Electronic Arts were awarded a Proggy award from PETA this year for progressive views on vegetarian lifestyles. Apparently the bar is low enough in video games when it comes to standards of humanity/progress that having the option for Sims to lead vegetarian lives is impressive enough to win an award. It is a pretty damn cool Trait to select for your Sims - they get a whole new range of food options, avoid meat in meals and get sick if they eat meat dishes.

Rumor has it that game testers have reported that vegetarian Sims live longer and age more slowly than meat-eating Sims. Of course, that would jibe with studies showing that real-life vegans and vegetarians are less prone to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other life-threatening conditions.

The Sims 3 Gets PETA-Vegetarian Friendly Award

**disclaimer: I love all animals. I don't love PETA all the time. I do think it's rad that they can get their points across in this kind of promotion.**