Game Addiction Blog

I’m a working man again!

Which would explain the lack of posts on my part the past few days.
Still  adjusting to the physical and mental strain of  the sort work I’m in so bear with me while I get to the point where I’m not falling asleep and aching all over when I get home.

I’m sure I don’t need to mention that two days ago the third and final sequel in the Halo franchise was released. In turn this lead to another world record sale figures and Xbox live traffic, go figure.

I don’t get it…Sure Halo are good games and I enjoy them plenty..but it’s not THAT good.

If I were to pick between Bioshock and Halo, my obvious choice would be Bioshock. It’s a much better game in almost all aspect especially since the single player campaign in H3 is apparently disappointing(very short).

The Halo franchise is possibly the most hyped series of games that’s ever been released. I can name plenty of other games I think are far superior and better games yet Halo always gets reviews like 9.9/10, 10/10, 12/10 “Most awesomenest game of all time!!!”
It hardly  deserves these kind of reviews,  because frankly it isn’t some  near  perfect masterpiece. That would have to be Bioshock in my opinion, which I think has all that is needed to deserve those kind of reviews as seen above.

The graphics, sound, story, length of game architecture and imagination behind Bioshock is almost perfectly put together to make a game that I’ll remember 40 years from now.

I haven’t received my copy of Halo 3 yet *thinking: FUCK!* but hopefully I will have it by this weekend or I think I’ll go crazy and kill someone…or something.

Been spending some time with a buggered game named Spider-man 3. I can say that if you suffer through the first 3-4 hours, it actually starts to get pretty fun. The camera view angles can be a real pain in the anus though. The only real reason I’m going through it, is because I don’t have anything else to play and I bought the game so it’s best to try to return the value from the game by playing it, because I hardly think anyone would buy it from me, plus I need gamerscore.

Well of to bed I go before I hi ho to wrok I d’oh!

- X

I meant to post this on the 20th but a gaming webcomic called Pixelated pupils I’ve been following has made a return after some months down due to illness and personal reasons.

The artist behind them is called Zack Finfrock. He is perhaps best known as being the artist who draws the Analog & D-pad comic books from CAD.

It’s worth a check.

- X

Is gonna be awesome.

This coming Sunday The Simpsons and Family guy new seasons starts. The Simpsons is easily my favorite Comedy show of all time, though the series has lost a lot of what made it so great back in the day. Family guy is great but they sometimes take things a little too far in my opinion.

Monday sees the premier of Heroes. I loved the first season and I can’t wait for the new one to start.

Tuesday is perhaps the biggest day of the week. Season 4 of House starts. House is the only Medical Drama that I find really great.

Perhaps the biggest new thing coming out that day is Halo 3. I’m sure we’ll hear the squeakers cry out in unison of excitement that day.

Another overly hyped game sees the light of day but the Crysis demo for PC will be released. Bad timing on their part, I mean who the hell will be playing Crysis when Halo 3 is out? Not many.

The Sunday after that American dad’s new season will debut as well.

Finally the summer dry spell is over and this bombardment of Digital and TV goodness starts again.

Q4 is looking out to be a gamer’s delight and a gamer’s hell, games such as Crysis, Unreal Tournament 3, Mass Effect, Smash Bros Brawl, Super Mario Galaxy, Half life 2:Episode 2, Team Fortress 2, Portal, Guitar Hero III, Rock Band, Gears of War on PC, Call of Duty 4 and if I include January Starcraft II and many many more.
How the hell do they expect us to find the time to play all these games..

I’ll have to figure out a way to fit it all in, but probably some of those games are gonna feel left out.

If someone would pay me for playing Video games, well then I would be set but alas I’ll probably be tied up in heavy work schedules during Oct/Nov, so my time will be limited.

Anyone wanna offer me a job playing Video games? :p

- X

That plugin I installed to provide news taken from the Joystiq feed doesn’t work properly so I’m scrapping it.
It was always posting the same news over and over so I had to delete a lot of what it was posting.

Ah well..

Also TF2 beta live! gogogogo!

- X

Filed under: Culture, Nintendo Wii, Action, Fighting, Simulations, Sports, Exergaming, Galleries

With a projected late-September U.S. release, Wii-only Victorious Boxers: Revolution dukes it out for the best Wii sports title. I recently played a nearly complete localization of the June-released Japanese original, and Victorious Boxers is clearly different than Wii Sports Boxing. While Americans may think the manga art-style should appeal mostly to kids, the animation and physicality are viciously pitched to an older crowd. You’re not trying to bowl over your opponent with kindness after all.

The boxing mechanics were harder to gauge than the catchy art. I relied on the two-fisted, motion-only control scheme, although the game offers five other ways to play. After a lot of wild flailing, I felt like I had a general sense of my character. But I never felt like my swings were perfectly interpreted. Hopefully, after an hour or two, players will learn how to move. But while Victorious Boxers easily held my interest, I couldn’t predict if this will be a perfect translation between physical moves and game action. At some point, I wonder if the Wii controllers can handle one-to-one motion mapping for fast games.

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Continue reading Joystiq impressions: Victorious Boxers: Revolution

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, TGS, Business

Fresh from our liveblog Microsoft TGS briefing, Tomonobu Itagaki has unveiled Ninja Gaiden 2 for the Xbox 360. The latest iteration of the title will cut off heads all the time and not even think twice about it as today’s earlier screenshot leak indicated. Itagaki is pushing to include even more ideas his team had to scrap with the franchise relaunch (and relaunch), admitting that they made many compromises. We’ve lost count of the numbers — does Black count — but maybe this time will be the charm.

According to a brief 1UP preview, the title will be published by Microsoft instead of Tecmo, so this one seems locked into a 360 exclusive. Look for the game in 2008.

Read - Live at the Microsoft Pre-TGS press briefing
Read - Previews: Ninja Gaiden 2

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[Thanks, Jonah]

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Action, Online

Sony has scheduled some preliminary Tool time, dating the Ratchet & Clank Future demo for October 4th, according to IGN. The demo will feature Tools of Destruction’s opening level, as disclosed by Insomniac in an interview with thedaily.com.au. “[Resistance taught us] the importance of opening the game with a bang — and that’s just what we do,” Insomniac told thedaily.com.au, “Players will get a sneak peek of this level via a downloadable demo that should hit the PlayStation Network Store in the not-too-distant future.” Not-too-distant being just 23 days away.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction is scheduled for retail release on October 23rd.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure

Castlevania guru Koji Igarashi in a Game Informer interview says he’s leaning toward Xbox 360 for the next console version of Castlevania. He says that he’s focusing on “the best platform for the U.S. market” and that would be in his opinion the Xbox 360. He goes on to the say that the US market is the “biggest market” for the series, so he’s giving priority to the Xbox 360. He doesn’t rule out dual development but says it “would be very tough” and that if Metal Gear Solid 4 expands the PS3 market they may release the next Castlevania on PS3 as well.

Still in business mode, Igarashi went on to explain Castlevania for the Wii. He says that Nintendo dominates their own console and third party titles are not so great in sales. He says he’s researching how to make Castlevania work on the system in the future and it’s about getting the whip motion to work properly instead of having players waggle like Zelda. Igarashi finishes by saying that the next DS Castlevania should be announced in the “near future.”

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Action

As you’ve no doubt gathered from reading the site, we’re multi-system. Most of the time that makes us extremely cool and a hit at parties, but there are times when it’s a curse. For example, we’re going to get Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii on Nov. 12, then just one week later we get Mass Effect on 360. That’s bad, but now we find out we have to contend with Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune being released on that exact same day. Yep, that pretty much confirms we won’t have time for turkey and cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving (though we might make an exception for pie).

So, whether you can’t afford a PS3, you’re still desperately searching your local Toys ‘R’ Us for a Wii or you’re left without a 360 thanks to the RRoD, just remember: It could be much worse — you could have all three.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

Reportedly originating from a now yanked page on the official Japanese Xbox 360 site, several gloriously violent images depicting what appears to be Ninja Gaiden 2 have been preserved at dutch site Gamed.nl. While we await confirmation (or debilitating denial) from Microsoft, be sure to gaze lovingly at what could be Tecmo’s long-awaited ninja kill-em-up sequel. With our analysis failing to detect any familiar content, we’re fairly certain this isn’t yet another remake of the original Xbox classic in the vein of Ninja Gaiden Omega Beta Orange.

What will evoke familiar responses, however, is the sheer number of severed limbs featured in the screenshots. You’ll spot flying heads, arms, feet, torsos and more blood than you ever thought the human body could hold.

Update: Microsoft’s take on Ninja Gaiden 2? “At this time, we have nothing to announce.”

[Thanks, Jean]

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Action, Online

Those still mulling the decision to unleash the hawks of war and engage in multiplayer-only combat will have to seek guidance from strangers and streamed video. The one whose opinion you trust the most (that’s you!) won’t be trying out a Warhawk demo anytime soon, GameDaily BIZ has learned. When asked about the possibility of a downloadable demo, a Sony representative expressed concern that it might not adequately convey the game’s 32-player chaos. “In a demo version of a multiplayer only game, there is little control over how many players will be on a dedicated server at a time, potentially leading to smaller online battles that do not fully do justice to the title’s fast combat and frantic play.”

The representative also pointed towards Warhawk’s beta, which plucked up 10,000 participants and offered “a wide audience ample opportunity to experience the game and provide valuable feedback to during Warhawk’s development.” We’re not sure how “wide” an audience that was when compared to the number a demo would reach, but it seems Sony’s all or nothing approach extends to all games that involve swooping.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

Those who downloaded the new demo for Tony Hawk Proving Ground demo on Xbox Live may have spotted the above poster in the sample. The poster advertising rumored sequel “GUN: Magruder’s Ghost” is either a really big tease or a really unconventional game announcement. Our heart says the latter, but, well, you can probably guess which one our brains say.

If you want to see the poster for yourself, head down the hill at the beginning of the demo and keep on that road until you see a large stairway on your left. You’ll find the poster at the top. We’ll be a little too busy dreaming of Lance Henriksen-soaked gaming goodness.

[Thanks, Squeedom]

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 2, Nintendo Wii, Action, Politics

Proving that his brain must be made of Teflon, IGN’s Matt Casamassina played Manhunt 2 in its AO-rated version and didn’t flip out and kill everybody he loved. In fact, he was so un-scarred by the experience that he went back for a second helping of the game in its newly M-rated version. Are you mad, man?

Though IGN says that the game is “mechanically identical” to its wicked AO twin, they said there are some more “cosmetic” changes. First off, the game’s death strikes have been blurred and darkened to the point that the heinous act being done is unidentifiable. Like using a vending machine blindfolded, you just use a push a couple of buttons and hope that you get a Snickers. Though IGN says the kills are still fun, they say they’re less rewarding in the still-not-particularly-family-friendly version.

There’s something much more heinous in the changes though: You can no longer rip an enemy’s testicles off with pliers. … Hear that? It’s the sound of Manhunt 2’s GOTY award flying out the window. This is 2007! What’s the point of even playing a game if you can’t rip some testicles asunder? Oh, also: -1 to Manhunt 2 machinima.

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

Filed under: Arcade, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

Hudson announced today that side-scrolling shooter Omega Five will bring the action to Xbox Live in November. Omega Five first leaked on the scene in June and appeared to be your classic “shoot everything on the screen” exercise, but designed for a modern audience. We picked up on the 3D graphics and some other fancy things during our hands-on time with an early build (we’re perceptive like that). Omega Five will also support local co-op for a friend.

Who knows, Omega Five could be a holiday season XBLA cult hit.

[Via Press Release]

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/