I know I've been slacking lately, but the thing is that I've been so busy with school and everything else that I haven't had time to post any of these articles. However, starting now, I'm going make this an actual weekly feature. I may not write as much about each game as I did before, but I will still give you a good overview of the game and share my thoughts on it.
Anyways, the theme for this week is free episodic games. Episodic games have been a controversial subject in the games world. Many people argue that it costs more for the average gamer, while others argue that episodic games are better because developers can release many episodes in the same length it takes to release a full game. Regardless of where you stand on commercial episodic games, there are many great free games on the internet that have new content added often.
The first game featured this week is a web-based adaptation of the popular PC quiz show game, You Don't Know Jack. If you've never played You Don't Know Jack before, you're in for a treat. YDKJ is a quiz show video game franchise that appeared on PC, Mac, Playstation, in book form, and had a short-lived ABC TV series (hosted by Pee-Wee Herman himself, Paul Reubens) in which you were asked questions in which "high culture and pop culture collide". The game remains unchanged in the web version, however, new episodes consisting of five normal questions, one Dis or Dat, and of course, a Jack Attack, are released every single Monday. In addition to the weekly episodes, a new Dis or Dat question is added every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. So, no matter what day of the week you go to the site, there will always be something new for you to play. A far cry from the hundreds of questions in one of the CD-ROM games, but still, it's enough to keep you busy for a few minutes a day. Also, before you go, I should warn you that YDKJ "contains mature content, including suggestive sexual references, language and font treatments that may not be suitable for children. Besides, they won't get it anyways."
The other game of the week is the aptly titled Platform. You guessed it, it's a platformer game! However, Platform is far from your typical platform game. What's unique about this one is that you have to play two characters and get both of them to the exit of each screen, many times using different routes for each character or using both characters to solve puzzles. This mix of puzzle solving and platforming makes for a very fun game and something worth checking out every Sunday, which is when new episodes are added.
So, now you have a new game to play every day of the week except Saturday! All without paying a single cent. Well, except for internet access, but that's besides the point. Make sure you give these games a try.
While browsing around on the internet, I found a crazy promo video for the failed Nintendo 64 add-on, the 64DD.
[youtube=425,350]EHVkSf_MnSE[/youtube]
The video features previews of Talent Maker, Polygon Maker, and Picture Maker...All of them look like they could be part of the same "game". Talent Maker looks like an early version of the Mii creation tool found on the Wii.
I also found a neat video showing what the 64DD startup sequence is like...and what happens if you don't put a disk in there.
Hot on the heels of a price drop and a new model introduction, a rumor has surfaced of a 6TH Playstation 3 model! Nothing about the new model is known other than the information seen in this picture from the FCC's website, the main piece of information being the model number, CECHH01. Also from this picture, we can derive that the new model has WiFi and Bluetooth. However, this is the only information known about it.
If you ask me what this could be, I think it could be a different color of the 40 GB model which is hitting Japan. Now, I did not report on this one, but Japan is getting a white 40 GB PS3 bundled with the Dual Shock 3 for the price of ¥39,980 ($341 US), and the model number on that is CECHH00. So, my guess is that this CECHH01 model is a Silver or Black version of that model.
What I really hope is that this model is the recently announced chocolate PS3 model. Sony made up a batch of 150 chocolate PS3s and a giant chocolate SIXAXIS controller for Eurochocolate, a festival dedicated to chocolate held in Perugia, Italy.
Hit the jump for more pictures of the festivities.
In a completely unsurprising move, Sony has announced that they are bringing the 40 GB Playstation 3 model to America on November 2, selling for $399.99.
This new model will have a 40 GB hard drive built in instead of 20, 60, or 80, and will include a free copy of Spider-Man 3 on Blu-ray Disc (presumably the standard edition Blu-ray release). Unlike the earlier 20 GB model, this one will have built-in WiFi in addition to the standard ethernet port. However, this new model will be eliminating many things that are standard on both the 60 GB and 80 GB models.
First up on the chopping block: USB ports! On the new model, there will only be two ports as compared to four on every other model that has come out. This is not a huge problem for most people, but it could be if you use a USB keyboard and mouse on your PS3 or want to charge your Warhawk headset, a controller, and have your USB external hard drive plugged in.
Next items to be cut: Media Card slots! Just like the earlier 20 GB model, the new one will not have slots for SD/miniSD cards, Compact Flash cards, or Memory Sticks. Not a huge loss, but a loss nonetheless.
Final item to not make the roster, backwards compatibility?! Yes, you read right. On the 40 GB model, there will be ZERO BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY. Yup, you will not be able to play your Playstation 2 or Playstation 1 games on this system. Reason why? It would have to be done with software emulation just like how the Xbox 360 does its Xbox compatibility, and Sony decided that it would not be worth it to make software emulation for each and every game. As SCEA president Jack Tretton stated, "Backward compatibility is a nice secondary consideration, but it's far from the number-one priority." Well, when you have nogoodgamestoplay, it sure is a major consideration.
A new model is not the only thing announced by Mr. Tretton today. He also announced that the 80 GB model with Motorstorm will be receiving a $100 price drop, making it $499.99 instead of $599.99. However, the 60 GB model has not received a price drop, most likely because Sony is disillusioned into believing that they are all sold out. So, now the 80 GB model with limited backwards compatibility and Motorstorm is the same price as the 60 GB model will full backwards compatibility.
Now that you know the details, what's your take on it? Leave a comment here, or in the thread about it in our forums.
After confirming the 40gb PS3 last week, Sony, apparently has another system up its sleeve. That's right. ANOTHER PS3 MODEL! This time, it's 160 GB.
According to a rumor posted on some ineternet forum (reliable isn't it) reposted on Com Net Slash, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan is going to be releasing a new 160gb model of the PS3 this November. Here is what the rumored model of the PS3 will contain...
“The PS3 160gb will have a slightly upgraded Wi-Fi and Bluetooth receiver. Also the PS3 will be available in both Black and Silver, come with an unamed Blu-Ray movie, demos and trailers packed onto the HDD and a voucher for 2 PSN titles for the first number of customers”
“At the moment the unit is only confirmed for release in Japan. A date has not been fully specified but is expected after November”
3 ethernet ports? What are they going to do with those? Is the PS3 going to be a router? 2 HDMI ports? That's what Sony promised back in '05! I do like the sound of the 2 free PSN titles and the HD being loaded with demos and trailers.
Is this real? Well, I kind of want to say it is, but I really think 3 ethernet ports and 2 HDMI ports is a little over the top, however the rest seems very plausible
I know I've knocked Microsoft in the past for having so many models, but goddamn Sony, 5 PS3 models in the course of a year? That's almost one every other month.
As a reminder that small, 17 person teams, can make a game that looks far better than anything ever seen in gaming, I present Project Offset from an independent developer named "Offset Software".
After looking at this video you'll say "Gears of What? Crysis? Killzone Who? Those are *SOOOOOOOOOOOO* last gen."
And the game itself doesn't look like just a gigantic graphicsfest. There seems to be some real substance to it. Check out Project Offset's site to learn more about the game.
"It was like a goddamned hardware launch only the following morning the mass of those proprietors overrun by game dorks just hours earlier would be rich with bloom; their walls stacked to bear out those morsels to which Bungie executives owe their Hummers, Audis and yes, the occasional EVO."
"I laugh freely at those droves for reasons that start with a grasp of the mildly absurd and stretch on into infinity. Is this not a video game we are talking about? Was the game immediately preceding not critically panned, publicly questioned and, dare I say it, as ugly as that lizard baby from V: The Final Battle? "
" I’ve always seen it as sort of a console nerd’s answer to real FPS gaming. There were other console FPSs before Halo, but Halo was the only one I got 13yr olds bragging to me about p0wning. Halo is the default go-to game for people who want to pretend they are hardcore gamers but really have a fair amount of difficulty determining whether or not the television is actually on."
"I’m just saying that I’ve popped off my share of heads, and done so with Jesus Christ’s own mouse and keyboard. He lent it to me for smiting fools. That’s right, Jesus plays UT. WWJD? WSAD."
"I think console FPSs are for boys who pee sitting down. BOOM; head-shot."
"Now that we’ve established the rules of this universe, I’d like to crack it in half by telling you that I absolutely enjoyed the HELL out of the Halo 3 campaign. I think it is a tight bit of FPS on an engine that absolutely drips with refinement."
"1. Console FPSs suck for anyone with a PC and, um, skill. If you can’t find a way to make sense of this you can take your purse, capri pants and subscription to Teen magazine and go home.
2. Halo 3 is Halo: Combat Evolved, only it has actually evolved into what they wanted the first time through. The crappy excuse for a story is evidence of this.
3. At the end of the day, the game is a badass good time if you want to get into a quality ass-kicking situation, even if it reminds you of UT2004 just a little."
This one criticizes commercial game sites and their reviewing of Halo 3 and other hyped up games.
"A few years back I gave The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay a 10. It was a beautiful and brilliant game that melded numerous genres into a fluid, exciting, and wholly unique experience. From what I can see, no one is claiming that Halo 3 does anything like that. The consensus seems to be that the gameplay is mainly just a minor refinement of Halo 2; that there are some level design issues later in the game; and that the experience lacks the "newness" of Halo. 1UP.com even went so far as to say, "...in Halo 3, the big 'oh wow!' gameplay moments just aren't there"—but they gave the game a 10/10 anyway. Now, having not played Halo 3, I can't say personally whether it's as great as it's being made out to be—I'm only saying that the press has, in my view, done a poor job of substantiating their ratings."
On this day ten years ago, Gunpei Yokoi, one of the most important and influential figures in gaming, passed away. For those of you who do not know, Gunpei is the creator of the Game Boy, the system that revolutionized portable gaming, and paved the way for every handheld system to follow.
Game Boy is not the first thing that Mr. Yokoi created. One day, he was riding home on a bullet train from his job at Nintendo. He noticed that the man seated next to him on the train was messing around with an LCD calculator. This event gave birth to Game & Watch, a series of stand alone LCD games. The Game & Watch was very influential on Nintendo's future, especially in modern times. In fact, for Nintendo DS, they pretty much took a two screen Game & Watch game (such as Mario Bros. or Donkey Kong), added modern LCD screens, and turned the bottom part into a touch screen. Also, if you ever play Super Smash Bros. Melee on GameCube, you'll notice that one of the characters you can play as is Mr. Game & Watch, who was the protagonist of many of the Game & Watch games, such as Ball.
After creating Game & Watch, Nintendo appointed him to the head of Nintendo R&D1. While heading up R&D1, he was instrumental in the creation of Kid Icarus, Metroid, and of course R.O.B. for the NES. However, R&D1's most famous creation was to come...
In 1989, Gunpei and his R&D1 team revolutionized the portable gaming market with the original Game Boy, which combined the cartridge based gaming of the NES with the portability of Game & Watch. The Game Boy inspired many of Nintendo's competitors to enter the handheld gaming ring: Sega with the Game Gear, and Atari with the Lynx. While both of them were technically superior and featured a color screen, each of them completely failed in comparison to the Game Boy, due to its very long battery life, small size, and excellent game selection. These factors caused Game Boy held onto the gaming market with an iron grip for 13 years through many variations and revisions, including a color version.
Gunpei's most ambitious project, Virtual Boy, was released in 1995. Virtual Boy was an attempt to create a "portable" system capable of displaying true 3D graphics. However, this system went down as one of the biggest failures in gaming history. Some of the reasons it failed were because it was only able to display red, caused eye strain in most users, ate up 6 AA batteries rather quickly, was not very portable, was fragile, and it cost $180 at launch. The system was discontinued a year later.
The failure of Virtual Boy really brought Gunpei down. He felt horrible, and Nintendo placed the blame on the Virtual Boy failure on him. This pressure led to his resignation from Nintendo on August 15, 1996, mere days after Game Boy Pocket game out in Japan.
After leaving Nintendo, he went to form his own company, Koto Laboratories. They started working on the Wonderswan for Bandai, however, Gunpei would never see the final product...
On October 4, 1997, Gunpei was riding in a car driven by Etsuo Kiso from Nintendo. Kiso's car accidentally rear-ended a truck driving in front of them the Hokuriku Expressway. Gunpei and Kiso got out of the car to examine the situation. While surveying the damage, another vehicle collided with the Kiso's car, killing Gunpei Yokoi.
Fast forward ten years, we can still find Yokoi's legacy still alive. Be it in Nintendo DS's Game & Watch inspired design, the continuation of Metroid, Mr. Game & Watch's appearance in Super Smash Bros, or in the game Gunpey for Wonderswan, PSP, and Nintendo DS. Gunpei Yokoi is an undisputed legend in the industry, and he is missed by all of us.
Check out this article from The Escapist for even more information.
Yes, you did not misread that headline. Rumor has it that the developer of Oni and Myth, Bungie, is leaving Microsoft.
The rumor originated on a website I've never heard of named 8Bit Joystick.com. Today, Jake from that site posted that a friend of his who has a friend that works at Bungie told him that they are leaving Microsoft. Not exactly the greatest source in the world, but it sounds very plausible...
This "friend of a friend" stated that the split would have been announced today, but MS didn't want it to affect their 3rd quarter earnings, so it will be announced on the 6th of this month. However, the non disclosure agreement was lifted today.
Here is the email as quoted on 8Bit Joystick.com...
Quote
"So heres my big secret. You should google Bungie + Microsoft + separation this week. You know that big ol BILLION dollar franchise Bungie has created for Microsoft, to show their appreciate Microsoft is letting Bungie leave. Of course Microsoft gets to keep all rights to the Halo franchise, but as today Bungie no longer part of Microsoft. Ask anyone who works there to search the global address book, they're no longer in there. Microsoft was supposed to release the press release today but if they wait till the 10/6 the impact wont effect the quarterly results. However today is the actual official date and the day the NDAs expire, however you still didn't hear this from me."
"Apparently MS just wants Bungie to make Halo for the rest of their natural days, and Bungie doesn't like how MS is constantly trying to "handle" everything they do; the way they market their games, the way they interact with their fans (basically the fact that they do appreciate their fans), and how stingie they are with the profits (comparable to the rest of the industry). So as of today they are their own independent entity. They'll probably make Halo 4 for Microsoft, however hey are also free to create new intellectual properties for whatever system they want. (Even though they prefer the xbox platform)"
"What a way to say thank you."
I certainly wouldn't be surprised if this rumor was true, because if you were a game company, would you want to stick to making one game forever and ever? I think not. And from Microsoft's point of view, this makes sense because they could make money off of selling Bungie, while still retaining the Halo license. That way, they can license the work on the Halo franchise out to other companies that would require less money to make it, and MS would still sell the same amount of copies since Halo is a big name. All the while, Bungie goes off on their own and makes games that Microsoft would never allow them to do. All parties are happy.
In response to these rumors, game blog Kotaku contacted Bungie, who redirected them to Microsoft's PR Firm who in response said "There's been no such announcement. We continue to celebrate the tremendous success of the global phenomenon that is Halo 3."
Is it true? Keep it on Channel 3 for the latest...
The rumored 40GB, $399, model of the Playstation 3 bundled with Spider-Man 3 on Blu-ray is looking more and more likely. First, there's the rumor that Sony is turning to FoxConn to help make the new model. Then there's the picture of the label of the new model from the FCC website with the new model number of CECHG01. Now, the latest proof of the new PS3 model is on the Blu-ray Savings website. The new program lists a new PS3 model, CECHG01, which is the same one seen on the FCC website. Now, if you know your PS3 models, you'll know that CECHG01 does not match any current model. CECHA01 is the 60GB model, CECHE01/98137 is the 80GB+Motorstorm model, and CECHB01 is the discontinued 20GB model.
Is CECHG01 the new $399 40GB model? All signs point to yes. Now all that's left is for Sony to step forward and confirm it.
According to Kotaku, an internal Gamestop email has been sent out requesting that all stores take down current signs and promotional material for the Xbox 360 Core model, because once the current stock is sold out, there won't be any more. In other words, the Xbox 360 Core is being discontinued.
Why would MS be eliminating the Core model (other than the obvious fact that it's a horrible deal)? To replace it with a new rumored Core model named Xbox 360 Arcade, which will not include a hard drive, but will include a 256mb memory card, a wireless controller, and 5 Xbox Live Arcade games.
What do I think of this rumor? I say, it's about damn time they get rid of the Core. No one is buying it, and it just makes sense to get rid of it. However, I don't know that replacing it with another model is a good idea either because if people just want casual games, they'll go to Wii or DS, which is where most of the casual games are these days.
Posted on Sep 25th 2007 at 09:34:06 AM by (Tondog) Posted under Love, Halo 3
Back Caught you lookin' for the same thing It's a new thing - check out this I bring Uh Oh the roll below the level 'Cause I'm livin' low next to the bass, C'mon Turn up the radio They claim that I'm a criminal By now I wonder how Some people never know The enemy could be their friend, guardian I'm not a hooligan I rock the party and Clear all the madness, I'm not a racist Preach to teach to all 'Cause some they never had this Number one, not born to run About the gun... I wasn't licensed to have one The minute they see me, fear me I'm the epitome - a public enemy Used, abused without clues I refused to blow a fuse They even had it on the news Don't believe the hype...
Yes Was the start of my last jam So here it is again, another def jam But since I gave you all a little something That we knew you lacked They still consider me a new jack All the critics you can hang'em I'll hold the rope But they hope to the pope And pray it ain't dope The follower of Farrakhan Don't tell me that you understand Until you hear the man The book of the new school rap game Writers treat me like Coltrane, insane Yes to them, but to me I'm a different kind We're brothers of the same mind, unblind Caught in the middle and Not surrenderin' I don't rhyme for the sake of of riddlin' Some claim that I'm a smuggler Some say I never heard of 'ya A rap burgler, false media We don't need it do we? It's fake that's what it be to 'ya, dig me? Don't believe the hype...
Don't believe the hype - its a sequel As an equal, can I get this through to you My 98's boomin' with a trunk of funk All the jealous punks can't stop the dunk Comin' from the school of hard knocks Some perpetrate, they drink Clorox Attack the black, cause I know they lack exact The cold facts, and still they try to Xerox Leader of the new school, uncool Never played the fool, just made the rules Remember there's a need to get alarmed Again I said I was a timebomb In the daytime the radio's scared of me 'Cause I'm mad, plus I'm the enemy They can't c'mon and play with me in primetime 'Cause I know the time, plus I'm gettin' mine I get on the mix late in the night They know I'm livin' right, so here go the mike, sike Before I let it go, don't rush my show You try to reach and grab and get elbowed Word to herb, yo if you can't swing this Just a little bit of the taste of the bass for you As you get up and dance at the LQ When some deny it, defy if I swing bolos Then they clear the lane I go solo The meaning of all of that Some media is the whack You believe it's true, it blows me through the roof Suckers, liars get me a shovel Some writers I know are damn devils For them I say don't believe the hype Yo Chuck, they must be on a pipe, right? Their pens and pads I'll snatch 'Cause I've had it I'm not an addict fiendin' for static I'll see their tape recoreder and grab it No, you can't have it back silly rabbit I'm going' to my media assassin Harry Allen, I gotta ask him Yo Harry, you're a writer, are we that type? Don't believe the hype I got flavor and all those things you know Yeah boy, part two bum rush and show Yo Griff, get the green black red and Gold down countdown to Armageddon -88 you wait the S1Ws will Rock the hard jams - treat it like a seminar Teach the bourgeoise, and rock the boulevard Some sau I'm negative But they're not positive But what I got to give... The media says this
It start at the top Now it's spiralling down Works best when it's lost Diggin' under the ground
Never mind it now We can bring it back It's total trash And it's a natural fact That I'm not no cow
It's never the same It's more than a game Can't take it away Can't kill all the shame
It's a guilty man That increased the crack It's total trash Sack 'em on the back With a heavy rock
There he goes again Magic monkey friend Can I love the time That he seems to spend With all the kids in town
It start at the top Now it's spiralling down Works best when it's lost Diggin' under the ground
Never mind it now We can bring it back It's total trash And it's a natural fact That I'm not no cow
In a completely expected turn of events, someone has posted the full ending cinematic of Halo 3 on YouTube.
The leak will no doubtedly raise the ire of Halo fans, Microsoft and Bungie. However, it will make the next week very fun for internet trolls and people wanting to ruin the ending.
So, before I go all spoilery after the break let me just say this:
DO NOT LOG ON TO THE INTERNET FOR THE NEXT WEEK HALO FANS! You'll get the story ruined.
Now for those of you who would like to help spread the word, hit the jump.
The first game featured this week is a web-based adaptation of the popular PC quiz show game, 
The other game of the week is the aptly titled 
Hot on the heels of a price drop and a new model introduction, a rumor has surfaced of a 6TH Playstation 3 model! Nothing about the new model is known other than the information seen in this picture from the FCC's website, the main piece of information being the model number, CECHH01. Also from this picture, we can derive that the new model has WiFi and Bluetooth. However, this is the only information known about it.
In a completely unsurprising move, Sony has announced that they are bringing the 
After confirming the 40gb PS3 last week, Sony, apparently has another system up its sleeve. That's right. ANOTHER PS3 MODEL! This time, it's 160 GB.
On this day ten years ago, Gunpei Yokoi, one of the most important and influential figures in gaming, passed away. For those of you who do not know, Gunpei is the creator of the Game Boy, the system that revolutionized portable gaming, and paved the way for every handheld system to follow.
Yes, you did not misread that headline. Rumor has it that the developer of Oni and Myth, Bungie, is leaving Microsoft.
The rumored 
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In a completely expected turn of events, someone has posted the full ending cinematic of Halo 3 on YouTube.
