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Culture
Snackopalypse 2012: Hostess Products Disappear from Store Shelves, Internet Price Gouging Begins
This morning I reported on the closing on Hostess Brands Inc., the company that’s been keeping America in Twinkies, Ho-Hos and Ding Dongs for 82 years. I suggested readers rush to the store and buy all of the Hostess snacks they could before they disappeared. If you didn’t heed that advice, it may already be…
By Mike Fahey Published November 17, 2012 -
Culture
Snacktaku Special Report: Hostess Struck Down, Fate of the Twinkie Uncertain
Stop reading this and go to the store. Buy all the Twinkies, Ho-Ho’s, Ding Dongs, Fruit Pies and chocolate cup cakes with the swirly line of “frosting” on top that you can afford. Take out a loan if you must. Hostess Brands, Inc., a national snacking institution for more than 80 years, is closing its…
By Mike Fahey Published November 16, 2012 -
Culture
The Haunting, Beautiful Art of Peter La
Canadian Peter La is a former user interface specialist who’s recently shifted over to concept art. He’s done work for mobile games like Sushi Smash and the gorgeous puzzle game Nuculus, but really, saying he’s just a casual games artist is really selling his talents short. Those more ethereal sci-fi pieces below are some of…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 15, 2012 -
Culture
Yes, Master Chief, I Know You’re Part Robot, But I Want You To Get In This Bigger Robot
My sincerest apologies if you’ve had your fill of Halo 4 concept art over the past week because, well, I have not. As is common, now that the game is on shelves the artists involved can begin sharing more of their work. One of those artists is Chris Durso, whose stuff you’ll be seeing today.…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 14, 2012 -
Culture
Nobody Told Me Assassin’s Creed III Featured Such Dapper Gentlemen
I haven’t played much of Assassin’s Creed III. I put the 360 version down around an hour in, figured I’d wait and play it on PC instead. So I have no idea who the guy above with the sharp uniform and the tiny dog is. But I like him These images are all the work…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 13, 2012 -
Culture
It’s Like a Reference Book. Only, For Halo’s Spartans.
I have a long-standing love of old-fashioned reference books. Like, the ones where the whole thing, cover-to-cover, is devoted entirely to illustrations of, say, Napoleonic cavalry uniforms. One day I’ll sort out just what that fetish means, but in the meantime, I’m going to indulge it with these pieces of Halo 4 concept art by…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 12, 2012 -
Culture
The Week in Games: Black is Back
Black Ops II is this week’s glamor release, and has been for a very long time. LEGO Lord of the Rings, Just Dance 4 and RIFT: Storm Legion make it a varied week for new video games. You’ll also notice a ton of Wii U titles hitting shelves. You can’t yet play them, but they’re…
By Owen Good Published November 11, 2012 -
Culture
Sunday Comics: Assassin’s Critters
Welcome to your Sunday read of the week’s best in web comics. Make sure to click on the expand button in the bottom right to enlarge each comic. ActionTrip by Borislav Grabovic and Ure Paul published Nov. 5.—Read more of ActionTrip Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich published Nov. 5.—Read more of Awkward Zombie Nerf NOW!!…
By Owen Good Published November 11, 2012 -
Culture
At McDonald’s Japan, these Special Burgers Sure Are…Creamy
If you’ve been to McDonald’s while visiting other countries, you know that things can be a little different. McDonald’s Japan, for example, has two “new” burgers—probably the likes of which you’ve never seen. That is, unless you’ve been to Japan. In winter. These are the “Gracoro Burgers”, with “gracoro” (“gurakoro” or グラコロ) being short for…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 10, 2012 -
Culture
Got a Giant Headcrab Problem? You’ll Need More Than a Pitchfork
“Regent”, a painting by artist Sergey Kolesov, was a winner at this year’s Into the Pixel, an annual competition which “brings together experts from the traditional fine art world and the interactive entertainment industry to display and discuss the art of the video game”. It’s from Dishonored, and we’ve featured it here before as part…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 9, 2012 -
CultureGrand Theft Auto V? Ha! Here’s GTA III Played to 100% Completion in Less Than Seven Hours.
The news that GTA V will be bigger than Red Dead Redemption, San Andreas, and GTA IV combined is impressive. It makes on think back to the vast expanses of GTA III, the game that pioneered huge open-world experiences. People spent weeks on that game, trying to complete every last side quest and find every…
By Evan Narcisse Published November 8, 2012 -
Culture
Halo 4’s Cortana Could Have Looked a Little Crazier
So much of Halo 4, like the rest of the series, is busy. Lots of action, lots of colours, lots of stuff all over the screen. So this concept art from the game is a refreshing break, stripping things back to let us see the game’s enemies and locations on nothing but a field of…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 7, 2012 -
Culture
The Art of Assassin’s Creed III
I haven’t had a chance to really sink my teeth into Assassin’s Creed III yet, but it seems there’s a little conjecture over whether it’s a step forwards or a step backwards for the series. Which is an argument for reviews. Fine Art is all about the pretty stuff, and I doubt you’ll find many…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 5, 2012 -
CultureTotal RecallThe Presidential Election Video Game, Made in Japan
As Americans prepare to head to the polls, it’s worth noting that one of the most important events on the planet is barely represented in the world of video games. Sure, you get the odd social or joke game released every four years to cash in on the hype surrounding a Presidential election, but on…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 5, 2012 -
CultureThe Atari 2600 E.T. Video Game Is Still Terrible, Even When It’s Finished in Less than 30 Seconds
You know the story. Almost everyone who wielded a joystick in the 1980s does: the tie-in game for Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was so unplayably bad that it almost single-handedly sank the first wave of video game infatuation. An experience like that needs to be put in its place. That’s exactly what speedrunners Adelikat…
By Evan Narcisse Published November 5, 2012 -
Culture
The Week in Games: Wake Up, John …
Halo 4 isn’t the only one coming out of hibernation this week. It’s the biggest video game doing so, as you can see by the fact the only other first-run console release is NASCAR The Game: Inside Line Also of note: anthologies for Saints Row: The Third (comprising all DLC) and Mass Effect (all three…
By Owen Good Published November 4, 2012 -
Culture
Sunday Comics: Dressed to Kill Yourself
Welcome to your Sunday read of the week’s best in web comics. Make sure to click on the expand button in the bottom right to enlarge each comic. Virtual Shackles by Jeremy Vinar and Mike Fahmie published Oct. 31.—Read more of Virtual Shackles Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich published Oct. 29.—Read more of Awkward Zombie…
By Owen Good Published November 4, 2012 -
Culture
This Week in the Business ‘PS3 has a Great Future Ahead of It Over the Next Few Years.’
What’s happened in the business of video games this past week … QUOTE | “PS3 has a great future ahead of it over the next few years.”-John Koller, Sony VP, talking about the holiday season and future prospects for the PS3, as well as how it’s a “marathon, not a sprint” for Vita. QUOTE |…
By Steve Peterson Published November 3, 2012 -
Culture
The Week in Games: Assassin Nation
If Hurricane Sandy doesn’t wipe out their releases in the American northeast, Tuesday will see two heavily anticipated arrivals on retail shelves: Assassin’s Creed III and the reboot of Need for Speed: Most Wanted. There’s also Assassin’s Creed: Liberation on the Vita, starring a completely different protagonist. For pro wrestling fans, WWE 13 brings the…
By Owen Good Published October 28, 2012