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  This Week In Comics

  Game Developers Conference blocked me from recommending comics to you last week, but nothing stands in my way this time. Here are some picks for the week… Comics You Should Consider Buying Batman Inc. #3 The long-delayed third issue by writer Grant Morrison, chronicling Bruce Wayne’s efforts to build a Batman franchise. We’re going to…

  By Stephen Totilo Published March 9, 2011
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  Are You There God? It’s-a Me, Mario

  Few video games deal with the touchy subject of religion seriously. When they do, they often deal with the more fantastical outlying bits of different faith systems, like last year’s Dante’s Inferno, or the upcoming El Shaddai: Rise of the Metatron. Rarely do we see games that hunker down and deal with real questions of…

  Joshua Wise Published March 9, 2011
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  Cognitive Reverse Engineering Explains The Incredible Allure Of Angry Birds

  With more than 50 million copies of Rovio’s bird-slinging casual game downloaded, Angry Birds is one of the most popular games of all time, but why? Usability engineering consultant Charles Mauro tears down the surprising secrets to Angry Birds’ success. A certified human factors engineering professional and president of usability engineering and user interface design…

  By Mike Fahey Published March 9, 2011
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  The Art, Food and Drinks of Plants Vs. Zombies

  Last week’s PopCap Games party at the Game Developers Conference wasn’t just a chance to indulge in Plants Vs. Zombies drinks and snacks while watching flowers cavort around the packed room. It was also a chance to check out some really neat concept art from the game and, you now, talk to people. Make sure…

  By Brian Crecente Published March 9, 2011
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  PlayStation Plus Subscribers Score Online Games Saves Tomorrow

  Sony gives PlayStation Plus subscribers the ability to store game saves online via the PlayStation Network with tomorrow’s 3.60 system software update, allowing up to 1,000 data files to be stored on 150MB of space as long as the money keeps coming in. Check out the PlayStation Blog for more details.

  By Mike Fahey Published March 9, 2011
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  Reviews

  The Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 Arcade FightStick: Tournament Edition Is Another K.O.

  As sure as winter is followed by spring, the release of a new Capcom console fighting game is followed by a new Tournament Edition Arcade FightStick from Mad Catz. Let’s put the Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 model through its paces. The Basics The Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 Arcade FightStick: Tournament Edition takes the top-of-the-line controls…

  By Mike Fahey Published March 9, 2011
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  How To Score Unlimited Money And Experience In Dragon Age II

  Want to gain fame, fortune, and power in Dragon Age II without trudging through all of those tedious quests? GameFront has unearthed a glitch that grants a player unlimited wealth and experience with the press of a button. Wanna see? Before you watch the video, ask yourself if you really want to cheat your way…

  By Mike Fahey Published March 9, 2011
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  Lag Is Even More Frustrating In Real Life

  Artist Guy Collins tackles the concept of online latency issues leaking into the real world in Lag, the animated movie. Hopefully it’ll load okay for you folks. Just be thankful that the painful time displacement effects of high latency are confined to our online worlds. As Guy Collins demonstrates here, rubber-banding in Modern Warfare or…

  By Mike Fahey Published March 9, 2011
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  A Look at L.A. Noire’s Investigations and Interrogations

  L.A. Noire will have you picking through the misery and gore of unsettling murders. Then you confront suspects and witnesses with your findings. Here’s a deeper look at some of those gameplay elements I described in my hands-on with the game last week. While it gives us another look at the game’s spectacular facial animation,…

  By Brian Crecente Published March 9, 2011
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  The Maker Of Mario Kart Justifies The Blue Shell

  I’d like to think that I made a reasonable request of the man behind Mario Kart. Hideki Konno has been the director of Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart 64, the producer of Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii. Get this guy in a room and you’ve got to ask him something about one…

  By Stephen Totilo Published March 9, 2011
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  Serious Sam Delivers Three New Games With An Indie Twist

  While Croteam occupies itself crafting the third entry in the Serious Sam franchise, indie developers Mommy’s Best Games, Be-Rad Entertainment, and Vlambeer take Sam places he’s never been before in three new indie games. Serious Sam is no stranger to the indie scene. The humorous first-person shooter franchise is the child of Croteam, a proud…

  By Mike Fahey Published March 9, 2011
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  Is The PC Key To Preserving Our Console Gaming History?

  In today’s Speak-Up on Kotaku, commenter Pixiebutt salutes Sega for making its classic console titles available on Steam, and dreams of a day when other present and former gaming hardware companies follow suit. So I woke up this morning and took a look at the front page of Steam, and to my surprise I saw…

  By Mike Fahey Published March 9, 2011
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  Even Legendary Guild Wars 2 Heroes Have To Craft Stuff

  When the Guardians, Thieves, and Elementalists of Guild Wars 2 aren’t busy building their legend, they’ll be building guns, gadgets, and gears via the game’s comprehensive crafting system. ArenaNet details how the game’s eight crafting professions get the job done. Crafting is an integral part of any massively-multiplayer online game, driving the player economy in…

  By Mike Fahey Published March 9, 2011
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  The Kart Racer That Addicted One Third of Korea Is Coming to Your Phone

  One of the world’s most popular Kart racing games is coming to Apple portables and Android devices soon, and no it’s not the one created by Nintendo. Web-based, free-to-play Crazyracing Kartrider is so popular in South Korea that some estimate that nearly a third of the country’s population has played the game. Publisher Nexon says…

  By Brian Crecente Published March 9, 2011
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  Talk Amongst Yourselves

  It’s time to talk about video games. On the count of three… Thanks to ShinLord for today’s picture. Submit your image to #TAYpics (Read this thread for directions on how to do a TAYpic.)

  By Stephen Totilo Published March 9, 2011
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  Going Crazy, Punching Cars And Eating Brian

  Or this might be your dinner. Not sure. Apologies for the sideways camera angle. Stupid iPhone keeps doing that No, Lady, You Can’t Play Facebook Games On Your Government Computer A public servant working for an Australian politician has asked for “extended internet access” on her work computer. Why? So she could play Facebook games.…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 9, 2011
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  No Farts-In-A-Jar For Saints Row 3

  Just because Saints Row: The Third lets players beat up people with sex toys doesn’t mean it lets them unleash farts from jars. “Not every crazy weapon idea that gets thrown out at meetings ends up getting used,” says producer Greg Donovan in the latest Game Informer. “With some ideas, we’re like ‘that’s not over…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 9, 2011
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  Lord of the Rings: War in the North Screen Shots

  The Lord of the Rings: War In The North The Lord of the Rings: War In The North The Lord of the Rings: War In The North The Lord of the Rings: War In The North The Lord of the Rings: War In The North The Lord of the Rings: War In The North The…

  By Michael McWhertor Published March 9, 2011
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  Are There Enough Gamers For This Controller?

  Granted, it’s only March, but this might be the most hardcore music controller released in Japan this year. That is, if it’s released. You are looking at a dedicated controller that’s designed for playing Sega rhythm game Project Diva and…that’s it. Dubbed the “Hatsune Miku -Project DIVA- Dreamy Theater 2nd Dedicated Controller”, it will be…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 9, 2011
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  Pokémon Suspect, Cops Arrest You!

  Japanese cyber cops are cracking down big time on individuals who are breaking copyright law. And if you break he law, you just might end up on prime time news. Last fall, 27-year-old Makoto Sekiguchi uploaded pictures of unrevealed characters in Pokémon: Black and White to the internet via his mobile phone. The characters were…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 9, 2011