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?

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?

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!

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.

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!

THE NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION, PART DEUX

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2013 - A NEW APPROACH

So I'd be shocked if anyone's reading this anymore.  My life has become a rollercoaster of chaos, as has Ryan's (my cohort with the North-South Geek Show).  We keep promising "This isn't dead!" and then not following through.  It's not for lack of trying, and not for lack of wanting to, we just can't make our schedules mesh due to the complications of Real Life.  When I'm free, he's working, and vice versa.  

So for now I am focusing on this blog, something I haven't done much of lately.   I have made a commitment to myself.   Like many PC gamers who have Steam, I have a terrible habit of buying a bunch of games when they are discounted, and then never playing them.   I have well over 200 games on my list, and have only actually played maybe 1/4th of them.   So each week, most likely on a Monday, I will play a new game, and I will do a preliminary review of it on Tuesday, and a follow-up review along with the next game on the following Tuesday.

These won't all be hot new games, or AAA titles.  Some might be much older games.  Some could be indie titles.  Some could be AAA titles a few months late.  I'm kind of broke, so realistically the only way I can do AAA titles right away would be if it was something I was really chomping at the bit to play (like the upcoming Bioshock: Infinite or GTA V).  There could be some console games in there, but to be perfectly honest, I'm like 90% a PC gamer.  

Either way, a weekly schedule will keep me going on this blog, and it'll give me an excuse to chew through all of those unplayed games I paid hard-earned money for!