Saturday, July 17, 2010

Best xbla game: Splosion man

    I believe Splosion man is a great platformer with very creative level design. One of the greatest components of the game is the multiplayer campaign. Don't get me wrong, I truly enjoyed going through the single player game, some of the most fun I had was going through the multiplayer game with a very close friend.

    If you are looking for a good co op game to grow team building, this is it. While you can go through the game with up to 4 players, I highly recommend just 2 people because 4 people can turn into chaos fast. By the end of the game, you and your buddy will feel like a real team, and you can understand more of your teammate with fewer words.

    This game also stimulates your brain. Some of the puzzles throughout the levels are real brain scratchers, making you stand up and point out things on your tv so your teammate can understand what to do.

    This game is also just a whole lot of fun, with replay value coming from the achievements and going through the multiplayer game with different people will get you a different experience everytime. This is my favorite xbla game and one of my favorite xbox 360 games. I love you twisted pixel and can't wait for comic jumper.

Follow me on twitter: twitter.com/beastiegens

Read my blog: beesteedrake.blogspot.com

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

What exactly defines a game?

    The gaming industry. A wild west full of controversy, evil publishing corporations, press, PR, small indie developers, and of course the little people who are the target for all of these elements. But when you think of what defines a game, specifically a gamer, what do you think of? A fat kid planted in front of the tv all day, or maybe the newer family gamers, crowded in front of wii bowling. Games are being divided into sub categories nowadays with social games, hardcore games, casual games. How far can we stretch this until it is not a game anymore. Wii fit is a good example of this, promoting physical activity, and weight loss. The exact opposite of a games goal 10 years ago. A "real" game wants to engross you in an experience, waver the line between reality and imagination. Take Mass Effect 2, a fairly hardcore game with a deep and compelling narrative. Enticing to the gamer, who wants to be sucked in to the galaxy. Games promoting physical activity, never draw you into a world, mostly because of your inability to keep up with the best of the best physically. I guess what really defines a game is the form of interactivity, either with buttons or your body.

Follow me on twitter for more small insights into the gaming world from a common gamer: twitter.com/beastiegens

Friday, April 2, 2010

What the readers want

The reason I'm writing this blog is I want to write about games as a career. But what I want to know what the readers, if there are any, what they want me to write about. I was also thinking about publishing a podcast, if I can find anyone to do it with. Please leave comments on what you want me to write about, I read all of them!

If iPhone had a Dpad……

The iphone and ipod touch has become the next break out gaming platform. The app store has been a huge success with tons of games coming out each day. The iphone is a great way to get gaming out to people who otherwise would never thinking of buying a handheld such as a ds or psp. There is one snag for creating games on this platform, the only control scheme is a touch with limited screen real estate. Touch screens aren't the best way to control games, because of their sometimes unreliability and no feedback such as rumble. Take a game like Soosiz, a great platformer similar to a Mario. Unfortunately, because there are no real buttons on the iphone, the buttons have to be placed on the screen, taking up space and limiting your line of sight. Last year, apple released an update that allowed iphones to use third party peripherals. There have been very few developers to take advantage of these. If a game like Soosiz had a peripheral with a dpad and some buttons, the game would be as great as a $30 dollar game on ds, for only $3. A snap on peripheral could be a great thing for apple to make and sell. It They could make it in such a way it could be like a case, with a slide out set of buttons. I love the app store's pricing model, with the most expensive games being ten dollars. I feel a peripheral making the iphone a true gaming handheld, could be a huge success, and begin to compete with the likes of the ds and psp.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

modern warfare 2 hype train

11.10.09
Modern warfare 2 will sell one a bajillion copies. We all know it. Do you realize all this controversy is the best advertisement they can get. All those boycotters and and haters are doing it. Infinity Ward is a genius. We all know why the acronom was F.A.G.S. I bet the first people to watch that were the haters. We know they're excited just as much as you and me. I have the game preordered. I don't care about dedicated servers. Who cares about the airport mission. You'll do the same thing in GTA. Let me say it again. Infinity Ward is a genius. That petition is nothing to worry about. When the day comes, half of the signers will be in line at gamestop. Marketing tricks us in ways we don't understand. Love the game, they'll make more, we'll love those too.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Nintendo: casual or hardcore?

Just about everyone in America and beyond owns a wii. By now, almost every hardcore nintendo fanboy is dissapointed with the big N's new direction. But is Nintendo truly all casual? Since the wii has launched, their has been a new Zelda, Mario, Smash Bros, Mario Kart, and Metroid. Yes, Nintendo does have the wii titles( sports resort, music, fit, and play. Think about this. Wii play was a wii remote, wii sports, was a wii pack in, even the new sports resort was a motion plus seller. Now, I have played everyone of these games and can honestly say I like all of them( except the abysmal wii music) and they are great party titles. Every game Nintendo makes is in some way catered to the hardcore even if it's a casual title. Wii sports resort is filled with secrets and unlockables, everything a gamer wants. Yes, Nintendo has definitely gone casual but has not left the hardcore gamers in the dust. In the next year or so, we have been promised two new mario titles, and a metroid game, even a new Zelda has been teased. I think Nintendo definitely needs to expand their hardcore library. Their is so much they can still do. A new starfox and kirby could definitely hold people over until a new mario or zelda gets released. I think Wario Land Shake It! was a perfect example of this, if only people bought it. It is a great game. So before saying Nintendo has ditched the hardcore, think of what has yet to come, and what has already been released.