any console

So I’ve been playing Fallout 3 on the Playstation 3 a whole lot lately, and I must say that I’m digging this game.  I’ve created a good character–which is unusual for me, I tend to prefer evil characters in these sorts of games–and I’ve been doing a whole lot of the quests.

One of the biggest things that’s helped me in the game is the Galaxy News Radio station which encourages me to continue in the story.  It’s a lot of fun to hear Three-Dog talk about your progress on GNR, and it makes you curious about what he’d have to say next.  The music is limited and very repetitive, and unfortunately so are the news clips if you don’t keep the story moving along.

Fallout 3 has no lacking for places to explore or things to discover.  For the more casual gamers among us, it’s also not too difficult to keep going as the story progresses.  It’s pretty easy to keep up and it’s also pretty easy to understand how the story is progressing.

As with most Bethesda games, however, this game is simply littered with bugs, glitches, and often illogical problems (such as finding the body of one thing you killed among the parts of others that you have also just killed).  Bethesda could and should prevent so many of these issues with simple interface changes, perhaps  an interface that shows you that there are multiple possible bodies or containers (or both) to search, and having you select which one you wish to search without having to exactly point at it.  Also, behind the Washington Monument there’s a giant pile of rubble that you can glitch into.  This game is also devoid of meaningful internationalization.  For those of us who speak English, this is not a problem, but the US’s neighbors to the north (at least some of them) and many Europeans might not appreciate this game as much since almost everything is English… interface, dialog, subtitles, etc.

My biggest problem with this game, however, is the completely lacking after-market support for the Playstation 3.  Bethesda needs to, at some point, decide whether it wants my Playstation 3 play or not.  Having played this game on both the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3, it’s my opinion that the load times are considerably shorter, and the game is more responsive on the Playstation 3 than it is on the Xbox 360.  Unfortunately, Bethesda has decided to not provide downloadable content for this game through Playstation Network, so all of those cool add-ons that Xbox 360 players get to enjoy I miss out on because of a stupid business decision.

Pros:

• Excellent story with many fun and interesting quests and sub-quests.
• Immersive environment in many ways: radio, billboards, buildings, recognizable sites and buildings to see.
• Interesting weapons.
• Not too difficult for the more casual gamer.
• Performs quite well on Playstation 3
• Great trophies support.

Popularity: 43%

Here’s a tutorial for Little Big Planet that I came up with.

Popularity: 41%

I’ve been an Apple user for only a short period of time now, but I’ve recently found that I dig the Super Monkey Ball on iPhone.  Take a look at the video below.

I’ve played Monkey Ball on Nintendo machines before, and I’ve loved it.  I think that the iPhone edition is nice, but I’ll stick to my GameCube and Wii versions.

Pros

• This game has amazing graphics for an iPhone, and even for a small display in general.
• Controls make a lot of sense for the type of game that Monkey Ball is.
• It’s a lot of fun, and it’s a franchise that many already know.

Cons

• Even with intuitive controls it’s tricky to control because the physics seem a bit off.
• It’s hard to pick up and put down quickly if you get a phone call.
• This game may be a bit over-priced at $10.
• There are no small mini-games like most of us know and love in Monkey Ball.
• There is no story line like what many of us are used to in previous Monkey Ball games.

The bottom line here is that for me, Monkey Ball’s story line was always just a way to get more points to unlock more mini-games.  I always loved the mini-games, and those are sadly missing from this iPhone version of the game.  The story line also doesn’t have much story to it.  I think SEGA could have done so much more to make this game better.

Popularity: 42%

I’ve never been a huge fan of the SOCOM franchise. I’ve never been a fan of shooters on hand-held systems either. This game breaks both molds in two ways: first, the missions are compelling, intuitive, and exciting. Second, the controls make sense and work well for the PSP. Finally, the online play really adds an unexpected element to this game that makes it more re-playable for me.

I really got hooked on this game with the PSN demo download for PSP, and I kinda never looked back.  I found that the missions of fireteam bravo were increasingly exciting, and they told me why each objective was where it was.  My favorite part of playing this game is still the first mission where you learn to snipe for the first time.  I remember scaring the pants off my wife shouting for joy when I got to put a slug in someone’s head for the first time.

As with all things, there are down-sides.  The first down-side is an unforgivable one as far as I’m concerned: it is too easy to go out of bounds, and if you do it too much you lose the mission.  I think this was a consistent problem throughout the game for me, whenever you’re in a field that looks open, it’s easy to get lost and getting lost often times means you lose and have to retry the mission.  There are also some serious stability problems with this game, as online play regularly locks up my PSP resulting in much shouting and cursing.

Pros:

• Online play for a PSP game is rarely done, and even more rarely done well.
• The story is beautiful, and from what my ex-marine buddies tell me it is a believable military story.
• The game keeps you up to speed on what your objectives are and why your objectives are what they are, it also shows you how your actions benefit or harm the overall story.
• The controls are well done and seem to be well thought out.

Cons:

• There are serious online multiplayer stability issues resulting in lockups.
• The graphics aren’t that great, even for a hand-held.
• There are no in-mission checkpoints, so if you fail a mission you have to start over.
• Even with controls that make sense, it’s difficult to always maneuver well in the game.

The bottom line is that this game is a great play for those who like shooters, but don’t normally consider them on the hand-held.  I think many have counted this game out because it’s an in-depth shooter on a hand-held, but it really does earn its place in the SOCOM franchise it seems.

Popularity: 61%

This is one of the few “must-have” games of the year as far as I’m concerned.  I anticipated this game to the point of pre-ordering it, and I can’t tell you how glad I am that I did pre-order it.  This game is fantastic, I don’t even know where to begin.

When I pre-ordered this game, I got it on Playstation3 since I wanted to get the most out of the graphics, and I think I made the right decision.  On the PS3 this game looks incredible: the animation is smooth, the environments are believable, and the images are crisp.  But as we all know, game play is what makes or breaks a game, so let’s go look there.

In recent times, many sports games have “practice” or “training” modes where you can go in and try to improve your skills.  For me, this is crucial, because I am terrible at sports games.  I’m so terrible that it is often difficult for me to win a game with 5-minute quarters playing on easy.  My rushing is great, my rush defense is acceptable, but when the ball is in the air all bets are off.  I can’t pass to save my life, and it’s hard for me to read a quarterback on defense, so training mode is quite helpful for me.  Madden’09 has a much more in-depth and intensive, and with the My Skill tests I find that the game challenges me more than I’m used to being challenged, without being overwhelmed.

It’s not all a bed of roses though.  Unfortunately many bugs and a handful of bad ideas made their way into the game.  Bugs are a big drag on this game, especially profile loading and management.  I’m constantly frustrated when instead of displaying my profile name “USER1″ is displayed all over the interface.  Bad ideas are present as well, even in features I loved like the My Skill.  When testing one’s skill, I didn’t think it was wise for the test to give me the answers and show me which buttons to press to get past defenders.  I also didn’t think it was great for the end-game interface to very confusingly try to get me to step into the trainer.  The last thing I want when I’ve just had my butt handed to me by the Miami Dolphins is for the game to rub it in by coercing me into the trainer.

Pros:

• The graphics in this game are outstanding, and great in high-definition.
• The play calling is a little easier here, and ask Madden makes a little more sense than in previous versions of the franchise.
• My Skill helps keep you from being overwhelmed, and it updates at the end of each game.
• Rewind is a neat idea that lets those of us who have a harder time keep from getting too discouraged.
• Online play allows league and season play, and with the EA Fantasy Football integration (collectors edition only I believe) you can import your Fantasy Football teams.

Cons:

• There are noticeable bugs that should have been taken care of.
• My Skill tests aren’t as accurate since they give you the answer.
• The end of a game is a bit confusing asking you to go into the trainer.
• The announcing is just horrible, I’ve found it best just to turn the volume off for the announcers.
• Online doesn’t let you play a full regulation season.

The bottom line on this game is that it is great for football.  My brother and I enjoy playing it together, and I think many others will as well.  This is Madden, it’s been around for twenty years, and I’ve played it for as long as it has been out.  I think they could still do better, but this is certainly a great addition to the franchise.

Popularity: 65%

So, Mass Effect came out for the Xbox 360, and wow. I must confess that I haven’t been able to put this game down. This game touches on everything that I, as a sci-fi gamer, really like. I get an elite soldier status where I can choose to be good or bad, I can control what I look like, I can control who I bring with me on which missions, and I can explore several planets throughout the milky way galaxy.

The premise of this game is that you are a human member of the System Alliance military, and you kinda get to choose your past a little bit, too. You eventually get promoted to an elite soldier in a multi-species group called “specters.” You get to be the “right hand” of a council that governs galactic affairs for a large number of systems in the galaxy. You get to fly around space and take care of problems using any amount of force you deem necessary. This game is just a whole lot of fun, and I recommend it to sci-fi enthusiasts and RPG enthusiasts looking for an interesting new take on the RPG.

Parents, please note that this game is rated “M” by the ESRB, and it does have some rather suggestive themes, a little nudity, some foul language, and some minor gore.

Pros:

• You’re an elite soldier who gets to choose how to handle the criminals.
• This game is pretty open to what order you want to complete missions in. It’s very nice.
• The leveling system is robust and offers you several different ways to configure your character.
• You get your own spaceship, how is that not cool?
• While there is significant load time in this game, it is very tastefully disguised in the form of decontamination sweeps or elevator rides.
• You can save your game ANYWHERE and pick it up right where you left off. This is great for those of us who don’t have a whole lot of time to game in a single sitting.
• Lots of fantastic voice acting with several well-respected voice actors like Seth Green.

Cons:

• This game locks up and crashes infrequently.
• Lots of freezes while saving.
• This game is still pretty linear, and I was a bit disappointed.
• The conversation driving engine is a little limited.
• It’s sometimes difficult to know what your character will say when you choose an option in the dialog.
• You don’t get to explore as many planets as I’d like to.
• No analog control of your spacecraft.
• Your character can only be a human.
• For some reason, the game developers won’t let me explore Earth. I don’t know about you all, but that was something I’d really like to see.

The bottom line on this game is that it is a lot of fun for those of us who’ve been waiting a while to do something different with our gaming. It’s not a traditional shooter, it’s not a traditional RPG, and it’s not a traditional Sci-Fi Thriller. It’s all three of them wrapped in a beautiful little package. The graphics are outstanding and the voice acting is wonderful. I highly recommend this game.

Popularity: 71%

So, some of you may be surprised to learn that while the United States has been getting all of the goodies first lately, Europe got a break and will be the first region to see the new Silver Nintendo DS Lite. Congratulations to the Europeans, and I look forward to seeing one here in the United States.

Joystiq’s Article on the Silver DS Lite

Popularity: 72%

I recently read this telling article on joystiq.com about a guy who sent his 15-year-old kid into Best Buy to purchase a copy of the recently released M-rated game, BioShock. The parent in question is an Attorney named Jack Thompson, and Thompson has declared the ESRB game rating system “a fraud perpetrated upon American families from sea to shining sea.” Well I have a question for Thompson and other like-minded parents…

Since when did it become the responsibility of Best Buy, Circuit City, GameStop, Game Crazy, and Wal-Mart to supervise your kids? You do know that if you are with your kid when they buy a game, that the clerk won’t sell your kid a game if you tell them not to… don’t you?

The problem with Thompson’s ever-so-clever “sting” operation is that he’s putting the responsibility on the retailer. Little Billy is not the ward or responsibility of Best Buy, Take-Two Interactive, RockStar Games, Microsoft, or anybody else other than his parents and/or guardians. As someone who is about to be a parent, I am growing more and more confused about why someone would expect Best Buy to parent their children. Afterall, the money is just as green (or whatever the color of your local currency is) if a kid hands it to the cashier as when an adult hands it to the cashier.

For those of you who are confused as to why I would say that the game retailers and developers have no responsibility, let me pose a question to you: when was the last time you sat down and played or watched your kid game? Do you know what’s in their collection? Do you know what the content of their favorite games are? In my time as a youth minister, I’ve found that most kids are eager to discuss their gaming with anybody who will sit still long enough to hear it. It’s something they enjoy discussing and they’re tickled to death that somebody will listen to what they have to say.

Participating in your kids gaming also gives you two very important parenting opportunities. First, it allows you to grow in relationship with your kid(s). I remember and cherish the times when my dad sat and gamed with me. One of my most vivid childhood memories was when my dad brought home my first console, the 16-bit Sega Genesis, with a copy of Sonic the Hedgehog. My dad and all five of us kids sat around the tube all night with that game and we laughed and joked and had a fantastic time. I was about 8 years old at that time, and it’s something that continues in my family even as my wife and I are about to have a child. My dad still plays games with myself and my siblings. He recently came over and played Burnout Revenge on the Xbox 360 with me and my brother. This is something that we all enjoyed and I know my dad has fond memories of these times just as much as my siblings and I do.

The second parenting opportunity that participating in your kids’ gaming offers is one of control. You can’t control what content your kids see if you don’t know what content your kids see. If you know your kids’ game collection, and you spot a new addition that you do not approve of, you can confiscate and discipline. This is no different than if you found a movie you didn’t approve of or a magazine you didn’t approve of. You may even be able to get your kids money refunded if you take it back to the store.

As an adult who games and as a man who is about to become a father I am increasingly concerned that irresponsible parents are going to damage both my hobby and my children. I do not want any government regulation dictating what games I can and cannot play, and I do not want irresponsible parents holding retailers responsible for their shortcomings as parents.

To all parents who want to try and argue that it isn’t their fault and that they don’t have the time to supervise or participate with their kids, or that it’s the industry’s responsibility to keep “moral standards,” don’t bother. Make time for your kids, make time for your kids’ gaming, make time to supervise your kids. The influences that this world can have on your children that you won’t approve of are infinite, and most of them don’t really care whether or not you approve. Only with your positive influences and constant reinforcement of things you do approve of will your kids get the message.

If you are a parent who wants to learn how to better control your kids’ gaming experience, I have a suggested reading list for you:

1. ESRB’s Resources for Parents
2. Parental Controls for the Nintendo Wii
3. Xbox 360 Family Controls

Unfortunately, Sony doesn’t seem to have a useful parental control manual for any of their systems on their website, so you’ll have to refer to your user’s manual for more information there.

Popularity: 76%

So yesterday I walked into my local GameCrazy and snagged my pre-ordered copy of Stranglehold, and I also got a copy of the latest Harvest Moon for the wife and one of those nifty Xbox 360 keyboards for myself. My Stranglehold came with a super-nifty shot-glass, too, as the pre-order goody.

So, back to Stranglehold… I don’t know if any of you have tried the demo, but the demo is the reason I pre-ordered Stranglehold. The first five minutes of Stranglehold has you killing more than 22 baddies (I lost count around 22, sorry). That’s an insane action game. Not only that but your character is a middle-aged smarty-pants detective who doesn’t know how to take “no” for an answer. It’s like a Bruce Willis movie without the male-pattern-baldness and cheesy come-backs.

Then there’s the accuracy shot… so to the developers of Stranglehold, how did you know I was gonna pop a cap in that guy’s junk? Was the nut-shot that easy to anticipate? Either way it’s beautiful. There is nothing like shooting a baddie in the family jewels and seeing him grab himself in pain as he goes down. In addition to shooting folks in the junk–which is not always possible because of how the baddie is standing–you can shoot him in pretty much any part of his face or neck to get a very satisfying response.

So I haven’t gotten very far in this game, and I hope it’s saving at every checkpoint because I just don’t have the time to get to savepoints if checkpoints are them, but I’ll let you all know what I think as I progress through the game.

I’ve also got BioShock, but I’m thinking I’ll wait until my brother gets back from Arkansas to play any more of that. That game is just too beautiful to play by yourself.

Popularity: 63%

So, many of you may have heard of the Katamari series before, but never before have I been so enamored with it. The Xbox 360 demo for Beautiful Katamari really seems to have done me in, and so starts my love of the game. While in my local GameCrazy, my friendly neighborhood GC-buddy, Dusten, showed me “Me & My Katamari” on the PSP. Wow, can we say gorgeous? The cartoon-like graphics just look so crisp and clear on that high-resolution PSP display, and the music is kookie and strange… how wonderful.

If you’re not familiar with Katamari, while the story lines seem to be strange, I mostly ignore them. Instead, I just focus on the gameplay… which is awesome. You roll this little ball around–a Katamari ball–and stuff sticks to it… and then stuff sticks to the stuff that stuck to the ball, and then stuff sticks to that stuff, and so on. Eventually you’re sticking people and houses, and who knows what else to your ball which is now becoming quite large (measured in meters). When you’re done, the King of All Cosmos tells you what your ball comprises of, and scores your ball.

After I’ve put some more play time into Me & My Katamari I’ll give you all a full review. Until then, I strongly recommend that you give it a look-see.

Popularity: 100%