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The Heartbreak of An Obi-Wan Haircut
To: Crecente From: Bashcraft RE: Pricey Bags Until today, Mini-Bash hadn’t had a haircut in months. And when Mrs. Bashcraft took him to get his haircut earlier today, the kid brought along something to show the stylist: a DVD copy of Star Wars Episode I. Mini-Bash wanted a haircut like Obi-Wan has in Episode I.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
The Best Digital Game of 2009
Not all video games last year were released on tangible discs. There were also games released via digital means, and some of those games were without a doubt among the strongest titles to hit in 2009. And not all games are big, and neither are all awards. Kotaku has already listed its choices for the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
Study: Brain Size And Gaming Ability Related
How good you are at video games could be related to the size of certain parts of your brain, researchers suggest. Beyond gaming, the research also suggests differences in learning rates. In the latest issue of everyone’s favorite brain journal Cerebral Cortex, a new study from University of Illinois, the University of Pittsburgh and Massachusetts…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
Report: Airport Security Tears A Man’s Xbox 360 Apart
Consumerist reader Adam thought it was safe to take his Xbox 360 on a plane with him. He’d received assurances from US Airways that it was. Uh, no. It wasn’t. Upon landing, Adam says he opened his luggage and found his Xbox 360 had been cracked open. He also found inside his luggage something he…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
God Of War III Snarls Itself Up A Console Bundle
This is a God of War III hardware bundle for the European market, first hinted at yesterday, now with its cover completely blown. Just like the Heavy Rain bundle, this one costs €350 (USD$500), and includes a 250GB console, controller and a copy of the game in question. Amazon France also reckon the bundle will…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
SNK Shoots Out New KOF Sky Stage Screens
On January 22, Osaka-based developer SNK Playmore, best known for The King of Fighters series, will be releasing its latest arcade…shoot ’em up. Well, it does feature KOF game characters! Characters like Kyo and Mai Shiranui. Dubbed KOF Sky Stage, the game is a vertical arcade shooting game. The fighting here is for your pocket…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
Heavy Rain DLC Puts You In The Shoes Of A Killer
Speaking with French site gameblog, Heavy Rain creator David Cage has revealed just what you’ll be getting up to as part of the game’s downloadable “Chronicles” episodes. Running for around an hour in total, one of them will see you playing the part of the Origami Killer, a key character from the main game. Another…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
Japan Getting Uncharted Game Pack
While PS3 exclusive Uncharted is a hugely successful franchise in the West, it has yet to capture the Japanese gaming public’s imagination. That’s not because the Uncharted franchise is not very good — quite the contrary — nor is it because the series doesn’t have appeal in Japan — I believe it very well could.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
Own A Little Piece Of Batman: Arkham Asylum
DC Direct has unveiled a statue based on Batman: Arkham Asylum, featuring the game’s fox-eared take on Gotham’s Dark Knight. It’ll go on sale in September (only a year after the game came out!), stands 7.25″ and will form part of DC’s exquisite “Black & White” range of statues, which also features pieces based on…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
First Good Look At New Metal Gear Solid PSP Bundle
Earlier this week, word leaked from the upcoming issue of Japanese game mag Famitsu that PSP stealth game Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker will be getting a PSP bundle. But leaked Famitsu images are usually crap. Famitsu.com images are much better. As Kotaku posted previously, the game will be getting a special camouflage PSP when…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
New Digital Store To Sell “Pre-Owned” Games
Green Man Gaming, a company based in the United Kingdom, is about to launch a digital download shopfront for the PC with a difference, claiming its store will be able to offer “pre-owned” digital sales. “Previously the minute you had paid and downloaded your game it had no resale value”, says Gian Luzio, Green Man’s…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
Forza Motorsport Developer Mentions Natal Platform Games
Developer Turn 10, the studio behind popular racing simulator Forza Motorsport, appears to be planning a new title for Microsoft’s upcoming Natal motion system. A job posting for a Turn 10 business development manager position notes this: set strategy and drive high-quality game content for our next generation games including the Natal platform As an…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
Reports: EA Working On Apple Tablet, Kindle
According to a report on the Wall Street Journal, when the Apple Tablet is revealed later this month – as seems almost certain – it’ll have Electronic Arts along for the ride. “Apple is also working with videogame publisher Electronic Arts Inc. to show off the tablet’s game capabilities”, the Journal says, suggesting the games…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
But What Does Modern Warfare 2’s Timed Exclusive DLC Mean?
At last year’s E3 gaming expo in Los Angeles, Microsoft announced that the first two downloadable maps for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 are timed Xbox 360 exclusives. Timed? How long is that? “We have a 30-day timed exclusive on the Modern Warfare content packs,” a spokesperson told website Eurogamer. “So it will be…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
Microsoft Points Were Never Meant To “Mislead People”
Like Nintendo’s currency of the same name, Microsoft’s “Points” have been confusing people since they were first released, humans being accustomed to think of money spent in terms of, well, money spent. Not some abstract points scheme. If it makes you feel any better, Microsoft never meant for MS Points to confuse you. To mislead…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
Canned Natal Two-Finger Game Concept Art
The French developer behind DS title Big Bang Mini, Arkedo, was thinking about making a game for Microsoft’s upcoming Natal motion system, but has decided against it. Arkedo boss Camille Guermonprez posted mock screenshots for a proposed (now dead) brawler called 2-Finger Heroes. Players were to use their fingers to control the characters’ legs. Flicking…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
Nintendo Launches Budget Wii Label In Japan
Wii games, cheaper! Nintendo is introducing the “Minna no Osusume Collection” (literally, The Everyone’s Recommendation Collection), a line of cheaper Wii titles. But does low price mean low quality? Nintendo is including titles with high user scores from the Wii’s Minna no Nintendo Channel for the relatively low price of ¥2,800 (US$31). Each title is…
By Brian Ashcraft Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
Goodbye, Burnout Paradise DLC, You Will Be Sorely Missed
Criterion Games today announced that there will be no more downloadable content made available for Burnout Paradise. Now is not the time for tears. It is a time for thanks. Burnout Paradise was released two years ago, and has been constantly updated with content – both free and paid – ever since. New areas, new…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
Gran Turismo 5 vs Real Life
Gran Turismo has long prided itself as a series built on realism, but how do you go about modeling that realism? Let’s compare a lap done in a real car to a lap done in a fake car, see how they stack up. This is a feature from Polyphony Digital on the game’s “Data Logger…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2010 - Uncategorized
Final Fantasy I & II Coming To An iPhone Near You
Square Enix announced today – rather quietly, may I add – that Final Fantasy I & II will soon be released for the iPhone and iPod Touch. As you can see, being what look like ports of the recent PSP re-releases, they’re looking nice and shiny (perhaps too shiny; what’s wrong with sprites?), but sadly…
By Luke Plunkett Published January 21, 2010