January 31, 2012
The Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming system got off to a rocky start, but it seems to be finding its stride as time goes on. In my opinion, the reason for this is that there are finally games on the platform worth playing. The system launched with an abysmal lineup that featured gems such as Steel Driver, a rehash of Super Street Fighter IV and a terrible excuse for a Madden game. Times have changed though.
January 10, 2012
It is that time of the year. 2011 is over, and 2012 is upon us. The big games from last year are on the shelf, and it is time to talk about our favorite games of the previous 12 months. Last year was an incredible year for gaming. There were so many games that it is going to be incredibly hard for me to narrow it down to five, but every writer who talks about gaming is making a top list.
January 10, 2012
It’s 2012. It’s been four decades since video games first began to emerge as a form of entertainment for consumption. In those decades, game complexity has improved, massive online worlds have been constructed, and 3D graphics have been honed into a fine tool, capable of as much realism as desired. Yet there are still a few particular issues that games struggle to overcome.
January 3, 2012
The game industry is shifting away from releasing everything right at the holidays, and now there are some huge games coming out all year. Game developers are wising up and realizing that you do not need to launch in October, November or December to have a successful game, and the beginning of next year is proof positive of that. These three games will see market in the first quarter of 2012.
January 3, 2012
Star Wars: The Old Republic has launched. Though there were the typical launch issues like a few scheduled downtimes that took several hours, the servers remain running and not on fire. Now that hurdle has been passed, however, the game faces a larger one – longevity. Does the game have what it takes to last?
December 15, 2011
Of all the genres that can be played on a mobile device, strategy is my favorite. Touchscreens often aren’t the best choice for titles that rely on quick reflexes, but in strategy titles where planning is more important than reacting, that’s not a problem. It’s also a bit hard to look mature while tapping away in a game like N.O.V.A. 2.
December 13, 2011
The video game industry is incredibly sequel driven. Some franchises even talk about their next game before they make the first one. Bioware, for example, decided that Mass Effect was going to be a trilogy before the first game even hit the market. Call of Duty is an annualized franchise where each one makes more money than the last. The fact is, it’s easier to sell a sequel to a game than make a new intellectual property.
November 29, 2011
One of the most anticipated games of this holiday season was The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Call of Duty and Battlefield are terrific games, but it’s delightful to see something a little different become a bestseller. I love first person shooters, but to see a game like Skyrim become a blockbuster success is a beautiful thing. Modern video games tend to hold the player’s hand and assist them a lot more than in the past.
November 29, 2011
In case you haven’t heard, Minecraft was just officially released. Yes, the game has been available to play for a couple of years, but it was in beta. Now the beta label is gone and the game is considered – well, complete – but if you’ve ever bought it before, you can enjoy all the updates without having to pay another dime, even if you paid back when the game was just $15 (or less)!
November 26, 2011
It took nearly two months for a friend to convince me to give Transformice a shot. The game looked too childish, uninteresting, and casual. After finally giving the game a fair chance, I’ve been disappointed that I didn’t listen two months sooner. This is one of the most unique browser games that you’re going to find.
