Ben’s Kuchera’s recent article on sexual harassment in the fighting game community has created quite a stir. Much of the controversy comes from remarks stated by Aris Bakhtanians in IGN and Capcom’s web-based reality fighting game competition: Cross Assault. “The sexual harassment is part of the culture. If you remove that from the fighting game community, it’s not the fighting game community… it doesn’t make sense to have that attitude. These things have been established for years,” What this really boils down to is the nature of competition. A vast majority of video games have inherent in them, a thirst…
Author: Dr. Noh
If you haven’t heard, Tevis Thompson’s essay Saving Zelda has been making rounds across the internet. I have no idea who Tevis is, and why he is suddenly at the forefront of Legend of Zelda criticism. I guess that’s what happens when something gets linked on Reddit and The Penny Arcade Report. I must say that his essay is an interesting read. Tevis brings up a few interesting points, but I can’t say I agree with them all. Tevis’s main argument is that “modern Zeldas are broken at their core.” For him, Zelda games should be more about exploration, discovery,…
Who doesn’t love Lego? I can understand bashing on Duplo or Mega Bloks, but Lego is awesome. As a child, I like to believe that Lego had a hand in expanding my creative mind. I always did the same thing whenever I got a new Lego set: I’d build everything according to the instructions, then I would disassemble or modify things to make them better. Usually I would end up putting laser guns on everything. I had dreams to build many Lego things, but never had enough parts or the right parts I needed. My Lego fantasies included a city,…
I am not, nor will I ever be a woman. In terms of gaming, I will never quite know what it feels to be like as a female in a male dominated group. I will nonetheless try to convey my own feelings about what I imagine it must be like. The so called “girl gamer” is in a predicament when is comes to online gaming and social gaming communities. Women have two choices in conveying their identities as females, acknowledge it or deny it. Those that acknowledge their gender tend to do so in their usernames or profile pictures. The…
I’m a stickler for words, so it should come as no surprise that I have an issue with the modern usage of the words hardcore gamer and casual gamer. What defines a hardcore gamer and what defines a casual gamer? Is it the amount of time spent playing video games? Perhaps it is skill level or amount of video games one owns. Is it possible for someone born during the 6th generation of video game consoles to be a hardcore gamer? Do hardcore gamers only play specific video game genres, that casual players do not? The term hardcore gamer doesn’t…
Steven Spielberg said “I think the real indicator,” [about video games as an art form], “will be when somebody confesses that they cried at Level 17.” I have never been moved to tears by playing a video game. I’m neither proud or ashamed of the fact because I feel that inevitably I will, but as far as what I have played, I have never been emotionally affected by a video game to cry. Don’t get me wrong, I have definitely experienced a wide range of emotions while playing video games: anger, frustration, sadness, regret, and happiness are among the most…
Yesterday was an amazing day. For all it faults, sometimes the internet can be incredible. The solidarity against SOPA & PIPA was worth admiration. In regards to gaming, it’s still very troublesome that the ESA still supports SOPA. Here’s a stance that make sense to me… I hope this gains traction because the ESA represents a very large part of the gaming industry. In the unlikely scenario of the big 3 deciding not to exhibit at E3, the ESA would have no other choice but to drop support of SOPA. Their actions to save face would be too little, too…
Cave Story+ & Cave Story 3D – PC/3DS It’s nice to know that sometimes games that deserve an opportunity to shine get that chance. Who knew this freeware Japanese creation would result in a cult following and eventually a retail release for the Nintendo 3DS? If you haven’t played Cave Story yet, it combines elements of Metroid, Castlevania, and Blaster Master in one of the most satisfying gaming experiences of the past 5 years. Although it borrows much from said game series, Cave Story also hold its own with interesting characters and a mysterious plot. Cave Story+ found itself as…
If you haven’t already heard, the internet is at war with Paul Christoforo. Who is Christoforo? He’s an asshole. You can read about the whole debacle here and here. It reminds me of a situation I encountered on eBay a number of years ago after ordering and receiving a imported Nintendo Wii game. The game was clearly a burned copy. The dvd case insert for the game’s cover still had website watermarks from where the image was ripped from. Most importantly, I could not play the game because it would not run in my Nintendo Wii. I contacted the seller…
Earlier this week, Nintendo released a book in Japan that supposedly contains a timeline of events of the Legend of Zelda series. This book proposes a three pronged approach to alternate realities that stem from the events of Ocarina of Time. According to this timeline, one reality was created in Link’s absence from the past, the future, and presents the present as the young Link that ends Ocarina of Time. By Leaving for the future by pulling out the Master Sword in the Temple of Time, Link created a reality in which Ganon overtakes Hyrule in his absence. The other…
Yes, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. A time to give, but also a time to get! What am I rambling on about? I’m talking about game bundles. By now, most you are probably aware of the Humble Indie Bundle, of which the latest contains the most impressive set of games since the original bundle. If you’re not familiar with the concept, it’s pay what you want, and you receive a link to download the games. If you want you can use Steam or Desura activation codes as well. What else is out there?
This interview on Wired has caused quite a stir over the internet. Misleading headlines will tell you that Shigeru Miyamoto is retiring. If you actually read the article, which by the way is not actually the full interview, you’ll realize that what Shigeru Miyamoto wants to do is create art. Yes, he plans to continue developing video games, but he doesn’t want to have to spend five years at a time with massive development teams to make one. When you consider that a game like Braid (2008) was only created by two people, just imagine what Miyamoto could…
The Smithsonian American Art Museum will be holding an exhibit from March to September of next year titled The Art of Video Games. According the the exhibit’s website “The Art of Video Games is one of the first exhibitions to explore the forty-year evolution of video games as an artistic medium, with a focus on striking visual effects and the creative use of new technologies.” It’s exciting to know that the idea of video games as an art form is gaining wider acceptance, but I think I might already have some qualms with how the exhibit is being set up.…
There’s much to be thankful for this holiday season as a game fan. As you eat your turkey (or tofurkey) while finishing another round in any of the recent big releases, get yourself ready for more! A new Steam sale started today for all you PC fans, and of course Friday will be a good day to pick up some older and recent console releases. I hope you have a job, and I hope you have some money.
Do you remember the San Francisco Rush series? Did you ever play San Francisco Rush 2049 on N64 or Dreamcast? This series predates the usage of physics-based gaming terminology and the Burnout series, but its gameplay is still quite addicting. If you’re like me, and you’ve wondered what the hell happened to the series. As far as I can tell, the franchise rights are likely at WB Games, but as far as I know, they’ve no plans to revive the series anytime soon. Thanks to a talented group at DigiPen, we can now experience Rush for the…
Gamers everywhere are in a state of fervor because of two games Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. I could care less. I’ve not played a Call of Duty game since the 2003 WWII based original, and I’ve never fully played through a game in the Elder Scrolls franchise. I have little to no interest in exploring either franchise with their current iterations. Let me tell you why.
Today marks the famous Valve co-founder Gabe Newell’s birthday. Kudos to you Mr. Newell. As much as I complain about how much I want to play Half Life 2: Episode 3, I commend you for your involvement in not only one of my favorite games ever developed (Portal), but for taking the initiative and changing the PC landscape with Steam. I never thought I would own a gaming PC and I certainly never envisioned owning over 100 digital game downloads. Here I am, I couldn’t be happier with my first PC build and it’s more than commonplace to own over…
I have no balls. I’ve never had them. As an adult, I am just as easily spooked out by things as I was when I was a child. It may be difficult to imagine 8-bit NES graphics scaring anyone, but I found myself scared shitless on many occasions. In the spirit of Halloween, here’s a few examples of why brown pants are handy (even when you’re shitless)…
A trailer for Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm! Check out the new units! Holy shit this is great! *UPDATE Here are some pics that have been circulating online that show off the new units! So, that silhouetted teaser image from a while back is a transformed Hellion! If this image is to be believed, it shows that the Protoss Carrier and Mothership have been removed and replaced by other units! Image Sources 1 2 3 4
Batman: Arkham City is most definitely one of the highest anticipated titles of the season, and for a good reason. I’ve noticed a long standing tradition ever since I could ever remember playing games. Superhero comic books lend themselves well to be produced into action oriented video games.
It’s a good time to be in New York City. Not only is it one of my favorite places in the world, but the New York Comicon has just begun. You should be there. Here’s why…
I miss Steve Jobs. In memory of Steve, I’d like to reflect my own experience and history with Apple products and how they have shaped me to become the gamer I am today.
So, today marks the 15 anniversary of the release of the Nintendo 64 in North America. The Nintendo 64 was a great console in many respects. It standardized analog control sticks, four controller ports without the use of a multitap, rumble controls, and most importantly revolutionized 3D gameplay. Many key Nintendo franchises receive premiere iterations: Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time are not only thought of as some of the best within their respective franchises, but some of the best games ever created.
…in Gears of War 3.
Remakes and ports seems to be in high gear these days. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Starfox 64, Halo: Combat Evolved, Cave Story, Metal Gear Solid 1-3, Shadow of the Colossus, Ico, Final Fantasy X, Beyond Good and Evil, and Goldeneye are just a handful I can think of off the top of my head. Is the gaming industry out of original ideas? Are they just trying to cash in on nostalgia? Perhaps this is true in some cases, but for me I tend to enjoy a good remake or a solid port every now and then. Let me…
The leaked information of the slide pad attachment for the 3DS is making video game fans across the internet cry foul upon Nintendo. The current thought is that because the release of this addition is coming, there will inevitably soon be a redesign of the 3DS with the second slide pad built in, a 3DS Lite if you will. With the recent price drop of the 3DS and the recently leaked slide pad information, the result is the belief that Nintendo does not have confidence in their hardware.
This is important! You MUST watch this!
Whew. Day 1 of PAX Prime is finally coming to a close here is Seattle and what a day it has been. I got a chance to check out some of PAX’s hottest titles today. Here are some impressions… Skyrim: I spent an hour playing through the latest build and I get a sense that it didn’t do it justice. There’s so much to explore. There’s so much to do. This game is epic in every sense of the word. Get ready to not have a life folks. Counterstrike Global Offense: Unfortunately I did not get to play this today,…
Yours truly will be on hand at PAX Prime 2011 as the lone representative of Padinga. What do you want to see me cover? I will cover as much as I’m able, and to the best of my ability. Visit the PAX website if you need to get an idea of what’s going to be there. Update: 1 Day left! Any last requests?
I should probably be ashamed of this because I’m Korean, but I’m not. Mecha and I have worked hard the last few weeks working our way up our Bronze League ladder, and earlier this week, we got to 1st place! Also, congrats to Mecha for making Platinum in 1v1!