The topic of violence in any media is always best treated cautiously.  In fact it was merely a few weeks ago that a UK based chat show attempted to broach this subject and ended up landing smack on its face.  Now most criticisms for violence in games seem to be at the progressively more realistic depiction of acts.

The photo realistic game is probably not more than a generation away at most and the mathematical geniuses that slave over 3D engines to make them produce these amazing graphics push things further towards that goal every year.  What I’m proposing is that it might not be the “graphic” progression that fuels violence in games, it’s something a lot more universal than that. Read more… »

It’s tough being a student. The limited supply of loan money, the frequent spending sprees, the pressure to go out every night to prevent people associating you as some sort of weirdo recluse – sometimes it’s just too much to handle. Eventually, there comes a time when you need to sacrifice your most valued possessions in order to make ends meet; it’s a painstaking process that always seems to end up in tears.

Alas, I had to prepare for the inevitable. I sat down and reluctantly dusted off my collection, checking the value of each item on eBay, dabbing my eyes with my custom-made Super Mario Bros. handkerchief. And then it hit me. After close inspection, it became increasingly apparent that games aren’t as exciting as they used to be.

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Bloomberg recently reported that former News Corp. president Peter Chernin and Microsoft have discussed the creation of a television channel exclusive to Xbox Live. The channel would offer original shows and reruns aimed at the online service’s young male target audience. There’s been a fair amount of discussion on the benefits and drawbacks of such a move, but I believe the proposed cost offers more food for thought.

To support the establishment of a new channel, Chernin suggested increasing the cost of an XBL subscription by one or two dollars. After hearing about this proposed rate increase, I found myself contemplating the current subscription fee for Xbox Live. Read more… »

For anyone who may not have heard, EA’s Chief Operating Officer, Nick Earl, recently revealed plans to introduce a new premium DLC system, in which EA will charge a fee for an extended game demo, comparable in size and content to Battlefield 1943.

This could potentially be an innovating strategy for EA, providing gamers with early content of anticipated games, while giving EA valuable gamer reaction to said games. Unfortunately, it looks like there’s already a lot of potential downside to this system, and its success will depend greatly on how EA chooses to implement it. Read more… »

Whether you’re one of those eco-warriors recycling for the planet, or, like me, you simply wade through games quicker than you earn money, you’re probably pretty familiar with the second-hand section of your favored game store. Well, make the most of it, because if some of the greedier publishers get their way, buying used games in the near future could prove more awkward and expensive for you, and more profitable for them.

Inevitably, the balance of game sales tipped a little further in favor of used titles during the recession, with Gamestop generating a monumental $2 billion in revenue through sales of second-hand games in 2008 alone, equating to around a quarter of its total revenue for the year. Clearly the used game industry is rather lucrative, which is undoubtedly why developers and publishers are once again lashing back, protesting that second-hand gaming is damaging to the industry. Could this perhaps be due to the fact they don’t get a penny of used game profits?
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I’m still somewhat in a state of disbelief at the sort of quality 2010 has imbued upon us. Mass Effect 2, God of War 3, Bioshock 2, Final Fantasy XIII, Heavy Rain, Battlefield: Bad Company 2- okay, we could go on for a lot longer. We here at Gamer Limit are all about letting you little buggers have your say, no matter how ludicrous, so why not come in and state your case about the best game of 2010 so far.

Hit the jump to check out a few of the top contenders, but by all means name your personal favorite for Quarter 1 in 2010, and explain just why it should be recognized as the best of the year so far. Also feel free to castigate me for omitting your pretty little 2010 gem.

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When Avatar figuratively exploded onto the scene, many of us were taken aback by the re-introduction of decent 3-D effects in film. The exquisitely developed depth, glossy holograms, and delicious visuals quenched our appetites for a new form of visceral experience.

But in the usual, ridiculous overreaction by almost everybody in the media and general populace to what can almost definitely be defined as a fad, 3-D has re-emerged as the buzzword for the early part of this decade. Once again, content producers and hardware makers alike begin to rub their hands together with glee, as rabid tech nerds and people with too much money begin buying TVs in the hope that will will get to play Modern Warfare 2 with slightly more cohesion.

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Since it seems that every game and their grandmothers have midnight release bonanzas these days, I thought it best to share with you a few tips. You might laugh and say that none of these things are particularly vital to getting that prime midnight release real estate, but you’ll still print out 87 copies of this web page, just in case.

Head inside to learn some nifty tips for a midnight launch! Read more… »

Heavy Rain is a game that has divided opinions here at Gamer Limit. Some of us think it’s a glorified cutscene with obligatory button presses, others think it’s a welcome change of pace and a great narrative-driven game.

Heavy Rain’s influences are vast; movies like Se7en and Saw are easily spotted. Yet there is one gem of a game that hasn’t been praised for being a visionary of its time, and an obvious influence on Quantic Dream’s big PS3 exclusive. I give you: Road Avenger!

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Technology is constantly changing. Some being large advances, while others are merely an iteration upon existing technology. Playstation Move is obviously an example of the latter.

Nintendo Wii proved to the world that motion control is more than capable of finding its rightful place in the video game industry. Captivating a new audience in the gaming space is no easy task. And yet, Nintendo’s established audience grows each and every month as the Wii consistently stands tall amongst its peers in sales.

But while Microsoft’s Project Natal is redefining motion control, Sony is iterating upon Nintendo’s success – all in the name of “precision”. Is that enough? Ultimately, does precision really matter?

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A disgruntled hello, wrapped in the smell of new and used plastic, welcomes me into my local Gamestop. It’s 10:45 p.m, and people are already milling about.  They shift through faceless lithos like homeowners searching someone’s garage for hidden treats.

Others snicker together in neatly packed groups. I start towards the counter when I overhear two of them arguing which Final Fantasy character would be better in the sack. My curiosity can’t be helped; so, I stop and examine a giant cardboard Bioshock 2 that commands, “Buy me now!”

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[You can check out previous installments of this series at Overdoing It: Sequelmania and Overdoing It: Boobies]

I think we can all agree that the vast majority of people that call themselves “gamers” would doubtless own a PS3, Xbox 360, or both. With the introduction of these consoles came a brand new feature that has undoubtedly become something of a viral sensation: trophies and achievements.

Whether it’s pumping hundreds of hours into your 360 in order to reach that coveted 100,000 GamerScore, or searching for the last hidden item that will grant you yet another Platinum trophy, games are now giving players the opportunity to showcase their (forgive me) prowess in the gaming arena.

So when did we decide that it was okay for gaming to become a job?

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