Thursday, January 31, 2013

ONE OF THE GREATEST GAMES OF ALL TIME

I have to share this two-part video with you all.  As you know, I'm pretty fond of hearing myself talk, but this guy...this guy says everything I could possibly say and more.  I've loved this video for a long time now, and share it with friends often.  This game is one of my most beloved and cherished games, because it's so amazingly bad, but still manages to be some of the most fun I've had playing a video game. 

Once again, not my video...but that of someone who is of like minds with me on this game (Part 2 of the video after the break).


Wednesday, January 30, 2013

A SHOUT-OUT FOR ONE OF MY FAVORITE RESOURCES

Just a quickie post here, making a shout out to one of my favorite resource sites out there.  A lot of you know that about 80% of my gaming is on the PC, and one of those reasons is because PC gaming is so ridiculously cheap.  Online retailers like Steam, GreenManGaming, Amazon, GameFly, etc. have ridiculous sales all the time. 

CheapShark is the best way to keep an eye on all of these sales.  They do the scouring for you, posting the top sales of nine of the biggest online PC games retailers out there, so you don't have to go hunting or miss out on a great sale. 

Monday, January 28, 2013

GAME-A-WEEK - RECETTEAR, AN ITEM SHOP'S TALE


So, after the relentless brutality and unsettling violence of last week's Hotline Miami review, I decided to play something a little lighter and fluffier.  I chose Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale.

What the fuck was I thinking?

Friday, January 25, 2013

NPC AI, AN OFT-OVERLOOKED DETAIL

For the past week, I haven't so much been "playing" Far Cry 3, as much as "rabidly devouring".   I have barely touched the main questline, but I've already crafted everything possible, found over 60% of the collectables, done most of the side missions, and unlocked most of the map.  It's a freakin' great game, and I'd be lying if I said otherwise.   However, it has a lot of glaring flaws that I think almost stand out even more because the rest of the game is so well-crafted.  One flaw in particular has actually become something of a fatal flaw for a lot of modern video games, in my book.

The AI and dialogue for non-combat NPCs is dumb as shit.

Monday, January 21, 2013

GAME-A-WEEK - HOTLINE MIAMI

This week, I will be taking a look at one of the more controversial titles out there right now, Hotline Miami.  It's a hyper-violent action game that the creators proudly admit is heavily inspired by the movie Drive.  The game is being called a "murder simulator" by critics.  I have to admit, I wasn't really interested in playing this game, as much as I was curious to see what all the hype was about.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

THE CRANKY OLD GAMER EPISODE 2 - 10000000

Hey kids, it's your ol' Uncle Cranky here with a new video for the Youtube channel! This week I am giving you a brief overview of a new indie title on Steam (also available on iTunes for Apple devices), called 10000000.

Fair warning, I've also started fiddling around with Windows Movie Maker, so enjoy some "professional" video effects at the beginning! Having header art and a logo gave me a taste, and now I'm hooked on making things look neater. Next thing you know, I'll actually have THEME MUSIC! Maybe. Someday.

Anyway, enjoy!



EDIT:   I stand corrected. In this review, I stated "I don't know that I would really play this much on the PC".   I was wrong.  I was so very, very wrong.  This game is like fucking heroin, and I have been completely unable to put it down all week.  I bought it on my iPhone and play it at work, or while I'm on the couch watching a movie.  It's addictive as hell, and I've absolutely fallen in love with it.

Monday, January 14, 2013

GAME-A-WEEK - KINGDOMS OF AMALUR: RECKONING


When it was announced that Big Huge Games and 38 Studios were pairing together bestselling fantasy author R.A. Salvatore and toy designer and Spawn comics creator Todd McFarlane to make an epic fantasy RPG, the buzz was huge.  But a turbulent dev cycle, a massive change in scope from a MMO to a single player experience, and the hugely publicized collapse of Studo 38 after the game's release have put a pall over the game's reputation.  But once you push those factors away, how does Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning stand on its own merits?

Monday, January 7, 2013

GAME-A-WEEK - BULLETSTORM

This week I had the joy of kicking off the new year with a new game, selected by one of my readers.  She chose Bulletstorm, the controversial hyper-violent sci-fi shooter from Epic Games and People Can Fly.  I have to admit, I had my reservations on this one; reviews were not kind to it when it came out in 2011.  I mean really, how many dick jokes can you make in one game?  So after a week of playing through, how was it?


Thursday, January 3, 2013

THE CRANKY OLD GAMER: NOW WITH VIDEO!

It's official, I now have a youtube channel to complement the blog.  I'm still experimenting with recording, editing, and compressing videos right now, but I have a first video up and running.   It's not the most exciting video on its own, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.





Check it out, subscribe, and I'll keep working on putting up videos!

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

R.I.P., THQ

For those who haven't read yet, once-massive game company THQ has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and been delisted from the NASDAQ.  While they may not be dead yet, this is essentially like saying "The doctors have pulled the plug, now we're just waiting for nature to take its course."   Now this great lumbering beast that has been churning out games since 1990 is breathing its last breath.


I'll kinda miss em.   I guess.  A little.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

AND SO IT BEGINS

Just a quickie update here.  Kaylei Bristol, writer/reviewer for Attack Initiative and a very dear friend of mine, has picked the first game for me to play and review from the list. 

She has chosen Bulletstorm.  Or as she so eloquently phrased it, "You need the game with all the dick jokes in the world to be your next game."


I'm already two or three hours into the campaign, got some piping hot screenshots ready, and am forming my opinions.  Tune in Monday for the first review of 2013!