Video Game Madness: Need for Speed – Hot Pursuit (2010)

I’ve been a fan of the Need for Speed series since the original in 1994.  I used to play it with my friends on my PC while we listened to rock CD’s for hours upon hours.  It was a great time, a gorgeous game, and a whole hell of a lot of fun.  It was as close as we were going to get to driving that kind of exotic car, and it quickly became a tradition that we’ve shared since that initial entry through almost every entry of the series (save for a few lame entries while the series tried different variations).

Still, no entry brought quite as much to the series as the original Hot Pursuit (Need for Speed 3 in 1998), which took on much of what worked in the first two entries and distilled it down to what has made the series work – exotic cars and cops.  Since then, the series has tried different themes, with varying degrees of success – from ultra realistic sims (ProStreet) to pure arcade (Nitro) and everything in between (Undercover, Carbon, the two Underground games).  I actually enjoyed some of those entries, despite the fact that none particularly succeeded too well with fans.  Read the rest of this entry »

Written on November 23rd, 2010 , Console Gaming, Games Tags:
VGM: Call Of Duty – Black Ops (Single Player Impressions)

I’m not a big multiplayer guy, so really, games like the Call of Duty series haven’t been up my alley.  I mean, I appreciate that they’re great games, but the single player component is what reviewers have typically said is the weak point of the series, with the focus (rightfully so) on replayability via multiplayer campaigns.

Still, the trailers for Black Ops have absolutely blown me away.  To the point where, not only was I willing to actually buy a Call of Duty game, it was one of my most anticipated video games of the year (behind only Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit).  I mean, the game looked AMAZING, and I decided to wait until Christmas and put it on ye olde Xmas List….but then it came out, and I found myself foaming at the mouth looking at the display when I went to Best Buy to pick up Scott Pilgrim on Blu-Ray.  So it came home with me.

Now, notice I’m not calling this a “review.”  I’m not quite up to par with those guys at IGN or Videogames.com – I’ve played a couple of hours of the single player campaign (and some zombie stuff), and thought I’d offer my impressions on what I’ve played so far… Read the rest of this entry »

Written on November 10th, 2010 , Console Gaming, Games Tags:
Day Late and a Dollar Short Gamer: Red Dead Redemption

I was going to do a review on Fallout: New Vegas but let me give you an idea of my emotions as I leveled up in this game…

It isn’t the glitches, the game just fucking cheats!  Damn moth bee things.  And why do I need to be attacked by five deathclaws at once.  I was just taking a stroll in the wastes.

I’ll get back on it in a few days.

Instead, let me talk to you about westerns and video games.  Read the rest of this entry »

Written on November 9th, 2010 , Console Gaming, Day Late & Dollar Short Gamer, Games Tags:
Return of the Day Late and Dollar Short Gamer: Medal of Honor

I actually went out and picked up a game at full retail price the day after it was released.  One might ask why would someone who is as frugal as I would do something like this.  As it turns out, I have a little extra cash on me.

For those who don’t know, I just got back from spending a year in Iraq, and when you aren’t burdened with things like a wife and kids, cash seems to pile up pretty quickly.  I have already invested in sacks with dollar signs on them, as well as a tuxedo and top hat.  The monocle is in the mail.

Until all of that comes in though, I have been rocking out some MoH.  I have to say that I am confused by the manner of what we are allowing in games and what we aren’t.  I remember a little game called Six Days in Fallujah that was canned because people thought that it would be disrespectful to the Soldiers who fought in said battle back during the beginning of the Iraq conflict.

I can assure you right now that the military isn’t that thin skinned.  As someone who has seen his fair share of insanity in both Afghanistan and Iraq, I have heard some of the most racist, misogynistic, un PC comments while on missions.  And they are all said with a laugh and received the same way.  At this point, most combat soldiers are jaded to the point that a video game isn’t going to set them off and force them to start protests in the name of good taste.

Six Days was eventually canceled.  They found soldiers who had no problem crying like little bitches about how it was too soon to start profiting off the sacrifice of soldiers (funny that we allow Halliburton to do it though – ZING!).  What we have in place instead is Medal of Honor, whose big claim to controversy was putting in a team named the Taliban.  I can assure you that there is still a team with small brown people speaking Arabic, but they are now called OpFor for oppositional forces.  Your delicate sensibilities will not be harmed.

I will also let you know that you cannot buy this game on any Military installations.  You can find Modern Warfare 2 which has a team of little brown people named OpFor as well, but I think they are Brazilians, so you can get away with it.  Resident Evil 5 taught us the lesson that black zombies are bad, now Arabs are as well.  At least we are learning. Read the rest of this entry »

Written on October 24th, 2010 , Console Gaming, Day Late & Dollar Short Gamer
The Player’s Club: Fist of the North Star Preview

It’s been a pretty slow time for me on the gaming front, so this week I just wanted to share some videos of a game I am most definitely looking forward to: Fist of the North Star!

The Japanese trailer

E3 2010 Trailer

As always, you can find me either here or on Twitter if you have any questions or feedback. Thanks for stopping by The Player’s Club!

Written on August 8th, 2010 , Columns, Console Gaming, Players Club, Video Games
A new MORTAL KOMBAT!

As if that awesome pseudo-trailer the other day wasn’t enough, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced a brand new Mortal Kombat video game, returning to the 2D style of the original series!  And boy, does it look killer!

WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES

MORTAL KOMBAT

Brutal Fighting Game Created By Original Game Developer with New Name – NetherRealm Studios
For PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft

Burbank, Calif. – June 10, 2010 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announces Mortal Kombat, the most brutal installment of the landmark fighting game to date for release on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in 2011. Mortal Kombat is being developed by the newly re-named NetherRealm Studios, led by Mortal Kombat creator and creative director Ed Boon.

The newest chapter of the iconic fight franchise marks a triumphant return to the series’ mature presentation and a reinvention of its classic 2D fighting mechanic. Driven by an all new graphics engine, the fan favorite Fatality is back and presented in more gory detail than ever before. In addition, Mortal Kombat introduces a number of new game-play features including tag team and the deepest story mode of any fighting game. Players can choose from an extensive lineup of the game’s iconic warriors and challenge their friends in traditional 1 vs. 1 matches, or take on several new game modes.

“We are bringing the Mortal Kombat franchise back to gamers with the talented NetherRealm Studios team creating the game fans long to play,” said Martin Tremblay, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “Re-establishing the brand with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Mortal Kombat innovates on past games while staying true to the brand’s legendary characters and fighting style.”

“We can’t wait for players to get their hands on Mortal Kombat,” said Ed Boon, Creative Director, NetherRealm Studios. “This game really is a response to what players have been demanding: mature presentation, reinvented 2D fighting mechanic and the best, most gruesome fatalities ever!”

Mortal Kombat introduces a number of new game modes as well as the most extensive online experience ever seen in a fighting game. Up to 4 players can battle “tag-team”- 2 players can team up in the new “Co-op Arcade Mode” or compete against another team online.

For more information about Mortal Kombat, please visit www.themortalkombat.com.

# # #
About NetherRealm Studios
NetherRealm Studios, wholly owned by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, is a leader in the development of interactive entertainment as the creator of the billion dollar Mortal Kombat franchise. Mortal Kombat has spawned two theatrical films, multiple television series, and has sold over 28 million games to date. Located in Chicago, Illinois the award-winning NetherRealm team has been working and creating games together since 1992. Additional information about NetherRealm Studios can be found at www.netherrealm.com

About Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all current and future platforms, including console, handheld and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.

Mortal Kombat™ software © 2010 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Developed by NetherRealm Studios. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Mortal Kombat, the dragon logo, and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
WB GAMES LOGO, WB SHIELD: ™ & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Written on June 10th, 2010 , Console Gaming, Games, Video Games Tags:
Funnybooks with Aron and Paulie: A Paul-Free Zone

fb2010_47tallIt was bound to happen.  Paul was whisked screaming into the jungle by the smoke monster.  Screaming.  Like a little girl.   We mourn his loss as he’d want us to, by talking about the week’s comics.

  • Paul’s away this week, apparently testifying before Congress
  • Wayne is all that and a bag of chips
  • Aron sucks at Xbox and hates delayed gratification
  • Red Dead Redemption and ending the games resale market
  • War of the Supermen #3
  • Brightest Day #2
  • Second Coming Update
    • X-Men Legacy #236
    • X-Factor #205
  • Invincible Iron Man #26
  • Legion of Super Heroes #1
  • Zatanna #1
  • The Avengers #1
  • Atlas #1
  • What is the Heroic Age?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Written on May 24th, 2010 , Comics, Console Gaming, DC, Funny Books with Aron & Paulie, Marvel, Podcasts Tags: , , , , , ,
Marvel vs. Capcom 3!

Holy hell yes!

Even though I still haven’t purchased Marvel vs. Capcom 2 from Xbox Live (just remembered I needed to do that), Capcom has confirmed today that a sequel, Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, is in production and due out in Spring 2011!

Some of the characters named so far are Wolverine, Iron Man, Hulk, Ryu (Street Fighter), Morrigan (Darkstalkers) and Chris Redfield (Resident Evil).  Apparently, MvC3 “will boast the same tech engine used in Resident Evil 5 and the upcoming Lost Planet 2. Also, the game will feature a “moving comic” graphics style.”

Can’t wait for this one!  Check out the trailer below:

Written on April 21st, 2010 , Console Gaming, Games, Video Games Tags:
GEARS OF WAR III Trailer!

I love the first two Gears of War games, probably because I actually took the time to sit through and finish both of them.  I’m super psyched about the upcoming sequel, which follows the trend of the teasers each game had, starting with the originals “Mad World” (from Gary Jules) trailer.

More Gears of War 3 Info

Gears of War III comes out April 2011.

Written on April 13th, 2010 , Console Gaming, Games Tags:
(Not) Your Morning Head: New Xbox Live Update makes Aron happy.
The love of my life.

The love of my life.

So for my birthday last year (that’s December 10th, you ungrateful bastards who didn’t buy me anything), I turned 30, and my family decided they wanted to throw me a big bash to commemorate the big day.  However, they were quite shocked to find out that, honestly, I didn’t really want a party.  I’ve become quite cranky in my old age and, for the most part, I just don’t like people.  I mean, I like gifts, but when you turn 30, you get those weird people who show up to your party with no gifts…that’s just crap.  So I told them I wanted to forego the party this year.

“But Paul,” they asked, with obvious disappointment, “what would you like instead?  Do you want a bigger gift this year since we were going to spend money on a party anyway?”

F*ck.  Yes.

So I asked for an Xbox 360 Elite.  Never mind that my Xbox didn’t really have anything wrong with it.  It was just an older model and, though it came with component cables for high def gaming, what I really wanted was the HDMI capability, better video card, and larger hard drive offered by the Elite model.  So I asked, and they gave, without question!

I was a super happy boy, but what to do with my other Xbox, the sad lady that had stood by me for all this time, with nary a problem and, while nothing was wrong with her, didn’t quite have the assets that my new sleek lady did? Read the rest of this entry »

Written on April 8th, 2010 , Console Gaming, Games, Video Games Tags:
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