With so many recent rumors flying around the internet about Sony announcing the PS3 Slim at next week’s Cologne Gamescom, it’s hard not to sit up and pay attention.  According to a deluge of “industry insiders”, the new compact system will finally usher in the oh-so-important price cut that everyone has been screaming for.

The general consensus seems to be that a lower price point is exactly what Sony needs to reinvigorate the system and bring in more sales, but I think these people are missing the big picture. Read more… »

No doubt one of the most anticipated first person shooters of this year has to be Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the first title in the modern-era Call of Duty offshoot was by many considered Game of the Year and a later release “Game of the Year Edition” for all right and reason verified that. Modern Warfare featured a campaign that was jaw-dropping and epic, and it’s multiplayer was so addicting that it pushed the Halo 3 juggernaut out of the number 1 spot on Xbox Live’s activity charts.

Nobody can deny the success of the first game, however it had its flaws just like any other title and there are a lot of things still left unchecked that Modern Warfare 2 can modify. This is where I come in and explain what should be changed to avoid similar flaws. More after the jump. Read more… »

From the coveted Madden series to the various competing titles for the NBA, MLB, and NHL, it has been a creator’s ambition to make the next year of sports gaming more realistic and compelling then the last.  After spending just under a year with NBA 2K9, and NBA 2K10 fast approaching, I’ve had the opportunity to play through the woes of being owner, GM, and coach with Association 2.0.  What I thought I knew about basketball, made me realize that I’m just another ranting fan pushing for the next big trade. Read more… »

For us older gamers, it wasn’t that long ago that the divide between developer and gamer was significantly more decisive than it has become. Studios like Capcom, Konami, Sega or Atari, would be loathe to talk to anyone outside of the consumer press. They were there to be idolised, viewed through rose glasses as the gaming overlords they were.

The new media landscape that has emerged over the last decade, in particular the last five to six years, has changed everything. No longer can developers hide behind magazines and corporate blocs. Their names are known; they even have blogs, twitters, facebooks and LinkedIns like us commoners.

Scarily enough, they even want to talk to you.

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Until recently, I thought the idea of the iPhone as a portable gaming platform was a laughable matter at best.  Without any type of real control scheme, a weak processor, and a poor selection of games, how would it ever be able to compete with the likes of the DS or the PSP?  As far as I was concerned, it would never be popular enough for it to make any type of significant impact on the gaming industry.

Then something completely unexpected happened that changed everything and caused me to question all of the previous reservations I had about the iPhone as a portable gaming device.  Read on to find out more about this major break-through I had, and why I’m starting to change my mind. Read more… »

IGN put up a respectable article the other day regarding things they’d like to see in SquareEnix’s Kingdom Hearts 3. The article was detailed about the things they would like to see, however I honestly felt that there were more points that could have been touched on.

After a little bit of reminiscing about my past experiences with the Kingdom Hearts franchise my fingers instantly went to my keyboard and I started assembling my thoughts on what would be essential for making Kingdom Hearts 3 an epic threequel, once they finally stop putting far too many resources into Final Fantasy XIII. Read more… »

I remember about a year ago, I was sitting down at home watching television when a program about professional gamers came on. At the time I was in my last semester at university, working part-time and not at all looking forward to the prospect of having to enter the big bad world of a full-time career. I didn’t exactly know what I wanted to do then; I guess you could say that I was at an impasse as to how my life would proceed. And I was scared.

This documentary came on and I decided to watch it, even though I was extremely jealous at the prospect of these kids getting to play video games professionally – and getting paid for it. However, this film, which was based around the KeSPA (Korean e-Sports Players Association) professionals, completely blew my mind. There was little to no enjoyment for these kids at all.

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Paradox Interactive and 1C Company’s upcoming release, Majesty 2, spins the traditional RTS into a kingdom simulator.  The goal is to build recruiting structures and economic centers that will entice heroes to come to your aid.

You start off in a small section of the map and progressively move from landmark to landmark fighting off viscous demons and monsters to one day vanquish the evil that has taken over your lands. Read more… »

If there is one constant in the video game universe, it’s that red will always battle blue.  This war of attrition has been fought from the rings of Halo to the fields of Azeroth.  No one is quite sure how this epic struggle for dominance first started, but everyone does agree that the only way it will end is in blood shed.

Recently the fine makers of Mountain Dew have decided to add to this ongoing struggle with their new Red and Blue Game Fuel.  Which side will win this battle to quench your thirst? Hit the break! Read more… »

[Weooo Weooo! Fun Police is a quick look at questionable design choices in popular games]

Sometimes, developers take risks. Visionary directors might have a specific gameplay element that they want to introduce; in their minds, it’s revolutionary; but as a gamer, it just makes you want to pull your hair out!

Dead Space was a massive hit immediately upon release. Hailed for it’s innovative “non tank” controls and a return to an environment that was (gasp!) actually scary, the game was a 15-20 hour action packed romp through an infected mining ship. Read on to find out when I momentarily stopped having fun, and why! Read more… »

Most gamers all have completely different opinions when it comes to Xbox 360 achievements and PS3 trophies.  Some like them, some hate them and some just don’t really care.  One reason you see so many different opinions is because gamers can’t seem to decide whether achievements actually enhance the game play experience or not.  A large percentage of achievements are simply “busy work achievements”, which require more of a time investment then a skill investment.

Everyone once in a while though, an achievement comes along which totally changes the way a person must play a game.  To find out more about these types of achievements, hit the jump.

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I don’t remember much of the late ‘80s or early ‘90s. Much of what I do remember consists of dull family holidays, punctuated by joyful trips to the amusement arcades.

It was my oasis in the barren desert of youth; the eye in the tempestuous hurricane of family tiffs and tantrums. Read more… »