Blog: The Video Game

New Xbox Live record met

2009-11-15T13:13:00.003-05:00

Last week, shortly after the release of war game Goliath Modern Warfare 2, Microsoft's Major Nelson reported via Twitter that Xbox Live had reached a new milestone. For the first time ever, over 2 million users were signed on to Xbox Live all at once.

That calls for some oversized text to be aligned in the center as a means of celebration. Ready?

Happy 2,000,000 Xbox Live!

'Zombies Ate My Neighbors' on Wii Virtual Console

2009-10-27T09:56:00.003-05:00

Back in the days of the Super Nintendo, LucasArts did more than just make Star Wars games. They made a game that was a joint venture with Konami in 1993 called Zombies Ate My Neighbors.

The game is out today on the Wii Virtual Console. You play a kid whose goal is to rescue the neighbors from the zombie invasion. The game is based on old B-movies and grindhouse horror films. It's an excellent game on both co-op and solo, so it's worth the 800 Wii points.

Netflix on PS3

2009-10-27T09:40:00.002-05:00

After a year of streaming for Xbox Live Gold users, Netflix is coming at no extra charge to anybody with a PS3 next month. Of course, you'll have to have a Netflix account.

The streaming works via a special Netflix Blu-ray disc, and in 2010, the system will be disc-free. If you're a PS3 user and want to reserve your Netflix disc for next month, click here. And get ready, because you'll be enjoying this film soon enough:

New this week: Oct. 27

2009-10-27T09:21:00.002-05:00

There are a ton of new releases this week, but most of them include the words iCarly or Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, so we'll focus on the big stuff.

DJ Hero (360/Wii/PS3) - The mash-up brother to Guitar Hero is finally out today, complete with the turntable peripheral. It'll set you back $120 for the standard edition, but check out this mash-up. It could certainly be worth the dough.

Tekken 6 (360/PS3) - The classic non-Street Fighter or Soul Calibur fighting game returns. Why should you be interested? You get to fight against a panda bear and a kangaroo. And a robot.

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Clank In Time (PS3) - Yet another game in the Ratchet & Clank series, a platform game that has done very well for Sony over the years.

Hasbro Family Game Night 2 (Wii, DS) - The Wii introduces even more Hasbro games hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, including Bop It, Connect 4x4, Operation, Jenga, and Pictureka.

SpongeBob's Truth Or Square (Wii, DS, PSP) - And why not, another adventure with SpongeBob Squarepants.

New 'Brutal Legend' maps announced

2009-10-27T09:02:00.004-05:00

The umlauts are well-known, the game has gotten its fair share of notoriety, and even the game's creator Tim Schafer has made an appearance on late night TV. Now, on Nov. 19, the first piece of downloadable content for Brutal Legend will be available.

The map pack, called Tears of the Hextadon, will feature two new maps. The first is called "Circle of Tears." Here's how the press release describes it: "Vile waters have carved a rough-hewn circular battlefield into a forsaken land that players must circumvent to destroy their opponent."

Saucy. And the second map, "Death's Fjord?" "Players find themselves on an icy mountain pass with a dense cluster of fans that lie below, waiting to be harvested by those brave enough to capture them without cover from enemy attack."

Wow. Also, everybody who purchases the map pack will receive a free in-game axe, the Blade of Ormagöden. That game is so metal. Here's the intro video to the game:

'Tap Tap' to Metallica

2009-10-27T08:55:00.002-05:00

The Tap Tap series of apps for the iPhone have dominated, with games featuring music by Lady Gaga, Coldplay and Dave Matthews. Now, it seems the game is taking a completely different direction by releasing Tap Tap Revenge Metallica.

The game is available today here and features these songs:

• Enter Sandman
• Sad But True
• King Nothing
• All Nightmare Long
• Some Kind of Monster
• Master of Puppets
• Seek & Destroy
• Fuel
• One
• For Whom the Bell Tolls

Now go on, Metallica fanatics with iPhones - spend five bucks!

Joystiq's Carve A Pumpkin Contest

2009-10-27T08:44:00.003-05:00

Attention those who have a knack for carving pumpkins and want to win a bunch of free video games: You could do the former in order to attain the latter right now. Joystiq is hosting a pumpkin carving competition. Here's a Castle Crashers entry they've received:

The winner of the contest takes home 10 video games, and one runner-up will receive five, all of Joystiq's choosing. This is a great opportunity for everybody: Nerds who want free video games and a silly pumpkin, parents who want to win a bunch of games for their kids, and everybody in between. So get carving!

Lego Rock Band update

2009-10-27T08:32:00.002-05:00

In more immediate Rock Band news, there have been a few updates with Lego Rock Band. They've announced a few additional brick rockers to add to Iggy Pop.

They've got David Bowie doing "Let's Dance."

There's also Lego Queen doing "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions."

And finally, there's Lego Blur doing "Song 2."

All very cool, but it begs the question: You want to throw any more Americans in there to level the playing field?

'The Who Rock Band' imminent?

2009-10-27T08:24:00.002-05:00

There's a rumor going around about many different Rock Band games in the wake of The Beatles Rock Band's success. There's been talk of U2 Rock Band and Queen Rock Band. Now, there's a rumor going around that The Who Rock Band is going to happen. What gives the rumor some clout? It was started by Roger Daltrey, the lead singer of The Who.

According to Joystiq, Daltrey told The Republican, "The game, yeah, yeah, they're going to be doing a Who one next year. There is one planned."

Very interesting. Can we PLEASE have full downloadable Who albums now?

'Bioshock 2' dated

2009-09-18T10:01:00.003-05:00

Remember when back when Bioshock was getting all those "Game Of The Year" accolades? Seems like yesterday. So will its sequel be a worthy follow-up?

Find out on Feb. 2, 2010, when Bioshock 2 is released worldwide for the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. Here's a look at the game's multiplayer gameplay trailer from this year's PAX.

Review: 'The Beatles Rock Band'

2009-09-15T15:14:00.003-05:00

Leading up to the release of The Beatles Rock Band, Dhani Harrison, one of the game's designers and son of George Harrison, talked about how the experience of the game led some testers to tears. The game was a tribute so touching, that even veterans of the music industry began to tear up. Me, the cynic, didn't buy it. I love The Beatles, but come on. It's a video game. It can't be that emotional.

And then I played it.

OK, let's get the technicals out of the way, first. There's nothing innovative as far as the basic instruments go. If you've ever played Rock Band or Guitar Hero, you'll know what to do. The harmonies are certainly a nice addition, especially if you're like me and switch between singing Paul's part and John's part in the middle of the song. Also, if you've got some friends who can really harmonize, you're set.

The game takes you through the career of The Beatles, from the Cavern Club to the Ed Sullivan Theatre to the studio and, finally, to the roof. Unlike previous Rock Band games, there's no flexibility in the game's animated sequences. There's no room for a guy with a mohawk and mustache wearing flannel to sing "Yellow Submarine." That's Ringo's job.

Every song, likeness, and animated sequence is treated with guarded reverence. As a matter of fact, the game is so peaceful and smiley that it's hard to imagine John Lennon ever frowning or any of the four of them ever having an unpleasant moment.

But aside from mild deification, the game's bias leans toward a message that The Beatles were always in favor of: love. The game isn't, "You, the rock star, sky rocket to success." This is a game where you study the various eras of The Beatles. Meanwhile, the entire experience is blanketed by love.

There are enough extras to give any Beatles fanatic an excuse to buy the game, and the achievements really push you to get the most out of the game. And, of course, there's the promise of fully downloadable albums in the future, with Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper's, and Rubber Soul already announced, so the replay value is excellent.

I mentioned that I, too, found this game emotional. It's hard to describe, really, but all throughout "Dear Prudence," a smile was inexplicably plastered on my face. As the song ended, I sighed a breath of wistfulness, as though I was there when The Beatles broke up.

It's a beautifully designed game and a wonderful experience. I'm already itching for DLC. Hopefully, they'll let us have a turn at some of those solo albums (I'm looking at you, Ram).

Shirtless Iggy Pop present in 'Lego Rock Band'

2009-09-12T21:44:00.004-05:00

There's a certain amount of rock 'n' roll sacrilege that occurs when making games like Rock Band or Guitar Hero. In earlier games, there are terrible covers of Rush songs. More wrong, perhaps, are the use of a deceased rock star's likeness in a game, as Guitar Hero has done with Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, and Kurt Cobain (of course, one could make the exact same arguments for Rock Band in the case of George Harrison and John Lennon despite the involvement of The Beatles and their families in the game's development).

However, one of the most delightful and heartwarming examples of rock stars in video games was brought to light today for the upcoming game, Lego Rock Band. Making his video game (and Lego) debut is Iggy Pop. According to Jeux Video, he'll be in the game singing his song "The Passenger." And boy, does he look good.

I know it's silly, but I can't wait for this game. In other Rock Band news, expect a review of Beatles Rock Band soon.

'The Beatles: Rock Band' eve!

2009-09-08T17:01:00.003-05:00

Hey there readers (who I have neglected severely). Do you know what this day is? It's the ever elusive 9/8/09, which means we're mere hours away from the release of 'The Beatles: Rock Band.'

So here's my question for you, dear reader. Are you for or against the virtual Beatles?

I'll be picking it up soon, so expect a review at some point this month.

Marvel to stop making 'crappy' games

2009-08-19T08:28:00.003-05:00

Video games based on comic books historically don't have the best track record. Most are rushed before they can get a proper release, leaving us with an ocean of terrible games based on old Batman and Spider-Man movies. There are a few great exceptions, though, like X-Men Origins: Wolverine, one of this blogger's favorite beat-em-ups of the last year.

Thankfully, Marvel Comics recognizes that this game was the exception to the rule. Therefore, they're making it the rule. Marvel Executive Vice President of Global Digital Media Group Ira Rubenstein told Joystiq that they "aren't doing crappy movie-based games anymore." Rubenstein then cited the upcoming Iron Man 2 and Thor games as being exciting examples of good games for their future.

Let's just hope it doesn't turn out like that first Iron Man game. Or worse, Superman 64.

PS3 Slim announced

2009-08-19T07:52:00.004-05:00

Holding out for a PS3 until it took off some of that weight? Well it looks like it's time for the obligatory Wesley Willis quote from the PS3: "I'm sorry that I got fat, I will slim down."

To be precise, it will slim down in September, when the PS3 Slim replaces its chunkier predecessor on the market. Better still, it's slicing the price by $100, now with a price tag of $299. It still doesn't play PS2 games, which is a bummer.

Unfortunately, uploading photos isn't working at the moment, but here's a gallery of photos of the PS3 Slim, courtesy of Joystiq (which includes the console compared to other consoles). In the meantime, here's a video of the unboxing.

The price cut is great news for people who have been holding out for their PS3. However, does Sony really think that people who have a broken PS2 really want to go out and spend $100 on a PS2 just to play their old games? This blogger thinks it's only a matter of time before Sony realizes that people don't want both systems, and ultimately, with backwards compatibility, they could make more sales with this thing.

Oh, and did we mention it's slim?

'Rock Band Metal Track Pack' announced

2009-08-13T10:59:00.005-05:00

OK, we get it, you're excited about Guitar Hero: Van Halen. Who isn't? But hey, there's always another, more Rock Band-y option (that doesn't include The Beatles).

According to a press release, the Rock Band Metal Track Pack will be released as a stand-alone disc for all consoles on Oct. 13. Here's the track list:

1. All That Remains - Two Weeks
2. At the Gates - Blinded By Fear
3. Black Tide - ShockWave
4. Blue Öyster Cult - Transmaniacon MC
5. Bullet For My Valentine - Waking the Demon
6. Children of Bodom - Are You Dead Yet
7. Evile - Thrasher
8. Godsmack - I Stand Alone
9. The Haunted - D.O.A.
10. Hawkwind - Master Of The Universe
11. I Mother Earth - Levitate
12. In This Moment - Forever
13. Judas Priest - Screaming for Vengeance
14. Lacuna Coil - Closer
15. Lamb of God - Laid to Rest
16. Motörhead - Killed by Death
17. Nazareth - Hair of the Dog
18. Queens of the Stone Age - 3’s & 7’s
19. Rage Against The Machine - Bulls On Parade
20. Yngwie Malmsteen - Red Devil

Whoa! Nazareth, Motörhead and Rage Against The Machine on one disc? They really did their best to cover all their bases. Any glaring omissions?

Keep your eye on these XBLA games

2009-08-12T12:05:00.004-05:00

Hey folks. Been wondering what to check out on XBLA? Luckily for you, I've got a quick guide of the new and the old essentials. But before you spend your hard-earned money, be sure to play the demos. Here's a short list:

NEW:

- TMNT Turtles In Time Re-Shelled - A remake of TMNT Turtles In Time, the classic arcade game. If you liked the original, you'll like this one.

- 'Splosion Man - You play a man made out of explosions. It's made by the same people who made The Maw.

- Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 - The old Dreamcast game gets re-released. Play as Spider-Man, Mega Man, Captain America or Ryu. It's a great fighting game.

OLD:

- Peggle - The mind-blowingly addictive puzzle game.

- Castle Crashers - The incredible 2D beat-em-up.

- Braid - The gorgeous puzzle platformer.

- Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2 - Another gorgeous puzzle game in the vein of Asteroids (if Asteroids was colorful and harder).

Well those are my picks. Any that I've forgotten?

New 'Beatles Rock Band' videos

2009-08-03T07:15:00.004-05:00

There are a few games coming out this year that I'm excited about. But honestly, perhaps the most exciting game of the year is The Beatles Rock Band. Sure, it's just another Rock Band game in a way, but it adds the option of singing harmonies, it has a lot of great animations and, well come on, it's The Beatles.

A few new videos of songs from the game. Each one demonstrates the "dreamscapes" from the game. Check them out right here:

You got your Depeche Mode in my 'Left 4 Dead 2!'

2009-07-29T08:37:00.003-05:00

No, you got your Left 4 Dead 2 in my Depeche Mode! Etcetera.

It was reported at Comic-Con that Depeche Mode's likeness and music will be featured in Left 4 Dead 2. This is made evident in one image from the game in which a character is sporting a Depeche Mode T-shirt.

According to Chet Falizsek of Valve (the company that developed the game, donchaknow), they approached many labels and artists about using their music in the game, but Depeche Mode were apparently quite happy to lend their work to the game.

Please tell me that there will be credits with zombie Depeche Mode playing "People Are People." Please?

'Castle Crashers' coming to PS3

2009-07-23T12:13:00.004-05:00

If you haven't played the Xbox 360 beat-em-up of 2008 Castle Crashers yet, you have very few excuses. One excuse, the "I only have a PS3" excuse, has been eliminated.

Behemoth, the developers behind the game have announced that the game will be coming to the PS3. That's all the news on it for the moment, but stay tuned. And while you're waiting, steal a friend's Xbox for a weekend and play Castle Crashers.

'Resident Evil 4' headed to your iPhone

2009-07-16T07:24:00.003-05:00

I know that there are tons of games on the iPhone that were previously on other consoles, and that probably the most worthwhile games are original IPs (like Rolando). But come on, wasn't Resident Evil 4 such a fantastic game? Don't you just want to play it all the time? Like, say, when you're waiting in the doctor's office?

Well it's going to become a possibility sooner rather than later. The game is releasing in Japan by the end of the month, but Capcom said that the game will make an appearance in the rest of the world "soon after."

And now, I decide whether I'll spend my money on that or the Doom game for the iPhone. Decisions, decisions.

New Batman trailer puts it all together

2009-07-13T07:29:00.002-05:00

There has been trailer after trailer of individual villains fighting Batman. We've seen the initial glances and some gameplay sequences. But here, we finally get a look at...well actually it's just more villains. Still, it's a neat trailer and includes some pretty ominous dialogue.

You can check out the video right here. In the meantime, here's an important clip from Batman lore to get you excited.

Sorry about the delay

2009-07-13T07:28:00.001-05:00

Hey, readers! Sorry about the severe delay in posts - I was in the woods and without Internet there for a week. I meant to update and let you all know before I left, but alas, the Internet decided not to play nice. Anyhow, onward!

'GTA: Chinatown Wars' headed to the PSP

2009-06-22T08:28:00.005-05:00

(OK, for this post, you'll have to imagine that I have a monster truck show announcer's voice. Play along, OK? Thanks.)

Because one handheld system couldn't handle the intensity, the violence or its EXTREEEEEEEME nature, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is coming to the PSP! And get ready folks, 'cause it's gonna be a bloodbath!

That's right, get ready for more missions, improved graphics, and a game that Rockstar says will "take full advantage of the PSP." Looks like a biiiiig crunch to the DS.

And remember, kids get in free at Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars!* So hurry up and reserve your PSP copy today! You don't want to miss out!

*That isn't true.

An Xbox E3 Roundup

2009-06-15T08:41:00.002-05:00

OK, so this one is going to have to be a bit more abridged, but here are some of the highlights from Microsoft.

Xbox 360

- Assassin's Creed 2 gets a November 17 release date. Trailer.
- The Beatles Rock Band is looking amazing. Harmonizing vocals, downloadable Abbey Road, awesome plastic instruments and an awesome intro video.
- Brutal Legend still looks great. Jack Black gets electrocuted and Ozzy Osbourne joins the line-up (meanwhile, Dio mysteriously disappears from it). Trailer.
- DJ Hero exists. Trailer.
- Final Fantasy XIII looking at a 2010 release date. Trailer.
- Halo 3: ODST gets September 22 release, will feature four-player co-op. Trailer.
- Left 4 Dead 2 is luckily not titled Left 4 Dead Again and will hit stores on November 17 (alongside its assassin brother listed above). Four new characters will be featured in gameplay. Extremely violent trailer.
- LEGO Rock Band looks charming, totally unnecessary. Trailer.
- Metal Gear Solid Rising is coming to the Xbox 360. Teaser trailer.
- Project Natal is revealed - it's like a Wiimote for the 360. Cool?
- Tony Hawk Ride to be played with a skateboard peripheral controller. Great Yeah Yeah Yeahs-laden trailer.
- XBLA Summer of Arcade to feature TMNT: Turtles In Time Re-shelled, 'Splosion Man, Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 and Monkey Island Special Edition.
- Oh, and Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm, and a special Games On Demand service were all announced for Xbox Live. Again, cool?

OK, so that's the bulk of it, folks. Any notable omissions? I ran through this really fast.