Features

President Obama Not Happy With Gamers

No Comments 21 June 2011

Doling out advice for the masses on Father’s Day, President Obama urged kids to put down the controller and pick up a book. Following is the thought process that my brain endeavored:

Why is Obama saying this?
Because he needed something fatherly to say. Alright, I guess? But this seems too contrived. If we’re going to herald Obama as being a smart motherfucker – there has to be something more to this.

Is he posing video games as opposite of books to show them as contradictory?
This probably was his intention. Not in a Zoolander-esque “not books” mind you, but rather as a stark contrast to the enlightenment of books.

Then is he saying that video games are a waste?
Yes. He’s fucking telling American children to read instead of play video games. Now, maybe he didn’t mean to say all games are a waste, but that’s how it’s coming across.

Why do I think like this?
Because I’m a high school English teacher – and as much as I want children to read and gain greater literacy and strengthen their ability to decipher allusions, Obama just told the younger generation to stay away from arguably the largest media market for them.

What I’m taking away from this:
Obama just told an entire generation of kids to put down the controller and pick up a book. Going by the general rule that kids will do exactly the opposite of what they are told (you, me, and the kid down the street growing up were no different), he may have actually just pushed more kids into gaming.

Thanks President Obama. Free advertising is great.

Features

Gearbox…Why? Duke Nukem Disappoints

1 Comment 20 June 2011

After huge successes for the past decade, Gearbox just took a shit on the video gaming industry with Duke Nukem.

Titles like Half-Life (and work on Counter-Strike), Brothers-In-Arms, and the insanely popular Borderlands wreaked havoc in market share. But Gearbox’s latest release, Duke Nukem: Forever, just doesn’t fit. Anywhere.

At first, I thought it was satirical: a subversive attack on the evolution of the FPS genre. Then after typing that last sentence, I realized I may be as full of bullshit as Duke Nukem: Forever ever was.

I’m not mad at playing a shitty game. It happens. I just feel like a trick was played on me. That or Gearbox severely underestimated the gaming IQ of it’s consumers. I’m really hoping it’s the latter.

Features

The Trailers of E3

2 Comments 17 June 2011

Trailers are interesting things. They’re created to build enthusiasm for a new release, but sometimes they transcend the medium and open our eyes to a whole new world.

Gears of War did this back in 2005. Dead Island‘s trailer emulated the success and even brought Giles Lamb some coin from iTunes in the process.

So here are the trailers of 2011′s E3 (the ones we liked the most):

Skyrim

The level of detail is remarkable. Gameplay footage shows all of the wandering glory of Oblivion with upgrades worthy enough to reach the Playboy mansion. We’re looking forward to exploring the constellar talent trees as much as we are the free-flying, roaming dragons. Skyrim releases on November 11, 2011.

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations

Ezio is back, and from the looks of it, he’s going to murder everybody. He’s also seeing Altair walking in his midst, so that means we have a man in an animus living through a man in his memory who is seeing someone who isn’t really there. Wonder if this game comes with a free hit of ecstasy. AC: Revelations will be released November 15, 2011.

Tomb Raider (We know…)

It’s been years since Tomb Raider was a relevant game. But this trailer shows something afoot in the world of Lara Croft. We think it’s attitude. Gritty fucking attitude. We hope it plays that way at least. Tomb Raider hits shelves Fall 2012.

Mass Effect 3

Commander Shepard will probably blow up the whole fucking universe, but it’s a fair trade as long as we get to hear more one-liners and snarky comments. And Garrus. Lots of hype on this game; we need a heavy payoff. ME3 will be released on March 6, 2012.

Dead Island

We love the follow-up trailer to quite possibly the best trailer of the year. Now that a good chunk of gameplay footage has been released, we are excited to start another zombie massacre. Dead Island releases on September 6, 2011.

Features

It’s All About Control: Nintendo’s Wii U Controller Center of Attention

No Comments 14 June 2011

It seems Nintendo is trying very hard to change the gaming industry once again. Recent coverage shows what we know so far of the Wii U (much more horsepower than the 360 or PS3). We also know that investors are not buying into it just yet. However, the secret is out. Nintendo is merging TV screen with controller. Holy shit.

At first, we didn’t think Nintendo knew their ass from their B Button on this one. But after watching the trailer, everything made more sense.

Considering the new controller looks like a cross between a Sega Dreamcast controller and an Olympic bodybuilder on steroids, we’re thinking that fucker must be a bear to handle. But that stands with the assumption that it’s supposed to be used like controllers of old. It’s clear that’s not the case anymore.

So if this thing is to coordinate flawlessly with the TV one second and then itself the next, it seems Nintendo is trying to erase the singular center of gravity that is the home entertainment center. Or broke-ass TV if that’s all you have.

Two questions arise from this destabilization of gravity. One, why look at a small screen when we all have wall mounted flat screens the size of small countries? And two, is this Nintendo’s back door into the tablet industry?

While the above trailer for the Wii U shows a man swapping from TV to controller to play Luigi’s Day Off, I can’t imagine too many times where that would actually happen. Maybe for children – but definitely not for adults. I will concede that I may be underestimating this function, but only if you’ll stipulate that in no point in the past calendar year would you have used the controller that way. If I actually got into that scenario, I’d probably shut off the game and grab my iPad. Or a beer.

As for the tablet industry, I think that concept is a stretch. Really, I do. But this could be one slick move by Nintendo to grab a piece of a very large pie. Sure, nobody associates Nintendo with the words PC, laptop, or tablet, but mobile gaming? Definitely. And what better way to jump into mobile gaming than already having the 3DS on shelves and generating something more tablet like?

You could comment that I’m out of my mind, and I may say you’re right. But I think Nintendo is finding bigger growth by entering into other markets over continued share of just one: the console industry.

Ultimately, I can’t imagine why this console wouldn’t succeed. The Wii kicked the shit out of 360 and PS3 sales, and that was when everybody was knocking the Wii for having shitty graphics. Now, imagine that same scenario in 2012, but with spectacular graphics.

Tell me how this console isn’t going to take off?

Features, PS3

Amy Hennig: Alpha (Naughty) Dog

1 Comment 30 May 2011

Amy Hennig comes across as either impervious to apparent failure or so charmingly resilient to roadblocks that we can’t help but be impressed.

Described by Ben Fritz for the LA Times, Hennig is “In charge of all creative decisions, including writing, casting and design” for Naughty Dog. Big job, but for Naughty Dog’s Amy Hennig, she’s learned how to manage, well, everything. Continue Reading

Features, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360

Why Video Games Cost $60

4 Comments 23 May 2011

The recent surge in facial recognition technology hasn’t affected the price of video games in the least. Neither has the fact that we haven’t seen a new console release since 2005. So why are we still handing over $60 for a mint game? Well, for a couple reasons.
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Features, Wii

Wii 2: Hopes and Fears

4 Comments 18 April 2011

Glitchoris loves telling you what’s up.  Like the time five years ago when we posted about a short-lived energy drink called “Sum Poosie.” We never drank any of it, but then again it didn’t come with a clearance label from the CDC.

This time, however, it’s about the supposed next-gen Wii.  Nintendo is leaking information to the press at the rate that would make B. Arthur’s morning routine look fast and furious.   Continue Reading

Features, PS3, Upcoming Games, Video, Xbox 360

Dead Island Trailer: Thank You Gears of War

8 Comments 06 March 2011

For anybody who has paid one iota of attention to gaming in the past five years, the original Gears of War trailer punched the gaming community in the collective cock by using Mad World performed by Gary Jules.  In all reality, Jules covered Tears for Fears better than we covered our man bits. Continue Reading

Features

Happy Valentine’s Day…

1 Comment 14 February 2011

To all who want true love,

Remember to give more than you get;

Glitchoris only wants you happy,

Maybe you have not found that person yet.

Continue Reading

Features, PS3, Xbox 360

Kojima Productions Creates Sexy Games

2 Comments 07 February 2011

You may not want to marry one of them, but you will take her home and ravage her in bed.  This type of carnal pleasure is not random – it’s Kojima Productions. Continue Reading

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