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Archives for August 2010

Video Game Power Rankings #16

After couple weeks of slow news and other conversation, this week is chock-a-block full of topics. Let’s get right into it.

1. (-) Used Video Game Sales – We can take this in two chunks. The first part is the flurry of internet chatter that Tycho of Penny-Arcade set off with, among other words, the following: “I honestly can’t figure out how buying a used game was any better than piracy.”

If a blogger or random video game website had such thing, it would be branded as “link-bait.” Since I’m pretty sure Penny-Arcade is doing okay in the traffic department, we’ll take this as pretty much indicative of how he feels. It’s good to have convictions, but when you express them in an open forum like Penny-Arcade, the sides are going to be drawn and opinions are going to be given. Syp at Bio Break falls on the “used car” argument (which I mostly agree with) Gus at Joystick Division takes the, “If game makers weren’t so stingy for so long with the price of games we wouldn’t be having this discussion,” angle.

Where do you stand?

2. (-) Used Video Game Sales, Part Two – On the heels of the more philosophical discussion of whether it’s right or not comes news that Target is going to get in the used games business – “Target has started rolling out a new electronics trade-in program designed for mobile devices and video games.” Oh, and best Buy is going to revive their trade in program, as well. Things, as they say, just got interesting.

3. (-) Elemental – I’ll just point you to Tap-Repeatedly for the recap. That isn’t pretty.

4. (-) Portal 101 – Where were these classes when I was in college?

5. (1) Halo: Reach Halo: Reach and Bungie just can’t catch a break. First, the digital version of the game was pirated. Then, they (allegedly!) had game discs stolen and being sold on the streets in Puerto Rico. Again, this is just a rumor, but if it’s true, Halo: Reach is going to sell 4 copies, because everyone is already going to have played it.

6. (-) Dead State – The question is: “Can there ever be too many zombie games?” The answer is no.

7. (-) Mafia II – No links here, just a general observation that a lot of people seemed mostly disappointed by the mostly loved original game. Have you played it?

8. (-) Dead Rising 2 – A deluge is coming, and Dead Rising 2 is part of it. Joystiq has a (spoilerish) look at a few of the weapons you’ll be able to “craft” in Dead Rising 2.

9. (7) Starcraft 2 – Because it can fall off the list yet!

Weekend Gaming

It’s been a while since we’ve done one of these, but now would be a great time to break your “lurker” status and come out of the wirework and let us know what you’ll be playing this weekend.

I like to refer to this weekend as my “most productive weekend ever” because it’s the last weekend before college football starts, which basically means my Saturdays are booked until December. I have to cross off a bunch of my to-do items so I’ll be ready when the madness starts next week. It also means my blogging slows here a little during this time. I’m hoping this will give me some time to work on some of the reviews I’ve wanted to write.

In the meantime, though, I still plan on gaming some this weekend. I’ve been working through Dragon Quest IX on the DS and enjoying my first foray into Dragon Quest since Dragon Warrior on the NES. Along with DQIX, I’ve been playing through Metro 2033. This game is maddeningly frustrating. I am really enjoying some of the unique things they’re doing with this game while I’m struggling through their sadistic checkpoints and unhelpful feedback. I’m this close to switching to “Easy” so I can make it through a particularly rough section. But overall Metro 2033 is really close to being a great game. Right now, I’d consider it a flawed game.

If I have time, I want to fool around with Steam on my Macbook, but we’ll see. What will you be playing?

Video Game Power Rankings #15

After a week mostly off (thanks, Nat for picking up the slack) I’m back with another week of Power Rankings.

1. (7) Halo Reach – In a move that makes little sense to me, Microsoft made Halo: Reach available to reviewers through a download from Xbox Live. Hackers found it and figured out how to download the game for themselves. Hilarity did not ensue. Spoilers did. I’m doing my best to ignore them.

2. (-) Monday Night Combat – No specific link on this one, I’ve just heard from multiple trusted sources that this game is FUN.

3. (-) Dragon Age 2 – I petered out earlier this year playing Dragon Age but I still recognize that BioWare crafted a pretty great game and the trailer for Dragon Age 2 has me thoroughly impressed.

4. (-) Final Fantasy XIV – I really want to see an MMO on the 360. I think it’s the future for the genre, on consoles. So when I heard FF XIV was not coming to the 360, I was bummed. Turns out that may not be entirely the case — It appears that development of the 360 version is only “on pause.”

5. (-) Age of Empires Online – No sooner had the announcement of Age of Empires Online hit the wire then more details started coming out concerning their freemium model. I just signed up for the beta and I’m really looking forward to this one.

6. (-) Torchlight – There was the announcement of Torchlight 2 and now the word that it will “hopefully” be available on XBLA/PSN by the holidays. Which got me thinking — if this Diablo-esque hack-and-slasher is successful, how awesome would Diablo 3 on the console be? Awesomer than most PC gamers would like to admit.

7. (3) Starcraft 2 – I can safely say that this would hover at the top a lot longer if I was actually playing it but the other sites I read and the podcasts I listen to can’t stop talking about it.

No Power Rankings

This week has been a little busy around Casa Buttonmashing so there won’t be a Video Game Power Rankings this week. The news was a little slow but things are going to be ramping up very soon and we’ll be back into the swing of things next week.

Sony, You Have It All Wrong

Allow me to respond to this video. (If you don’t see it in your reader, come to the site.)

I will admit this video is funny with the whole texting grandma bit. However, this video does not logically make sense. First, some disclaimers:

  • I like my PSP. I pull it out once every three months and play it.
  • I love my iPod touch. I use it every day for email, surfing, checking weather, and an occasional game.

Sony’s major argument is that you can play high-quality games for only $9.99. I can play three maybe four games on the iPod for that amount.

Second, this doesn’t make sense because there’s hardly anything there for $9.99. Let’s see, I can get GTA: Chinatown Wars for $10 on the App Store or $20 on PSN. Sure.

Certainly the argument can be made that there is a lot of trash on the App Store. I agree, but usually amongst the trash there is a gem or two. Before PSP fanboys get up in arms, I do have some PSN games on it, but I only ever bought them on sale (God of War, Savage Moon, Thexder Neo, Pixel Junk Monsters Deluxe, and a few other unimpressive titles).

The PSPgo had so much potential to be awesome, but there was nothing available for it but full-retail priced titles and a few small games. If the thing had been “opened” up like the App Store they’d be swimming in cash, but no, they had to keep a lid on it and so it’s a loss–for everyone.

This video does not work for me. Curiously, who does it work for? The few 13-30 somethings that are not socially connected and know better?

Bioshocking

Wow. Just. Wow.

It had me at the rising steampunk balloon. Amazing world concept.

=O!!!!!

I don’t know about you but that was my first thought after watching this video.

Then the skeptic in me decided to show up. It seems that they are talking this game up a lot, I’m really hoping that they can do everything they said because that would be one awesome game.

I think there are a few Guild Wars fans around here, anyone else wanna join up and take out that INSANE looking dragon at the end of the clip? (probably get utterly destroyed actually)