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What Do Game Developers Know About Real Guns?
In game after game, there they are: guns. Weapons are a common trope. They are a catalyst for action and an instrument for destruction. In-game guns and, well, guns are different. What do game developers know about the real deal? Not every game developer who makes games with firearms has handled an actual weapon, just…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 31, 2010 -
SNK Shooter And Character In “Revealing Outfit” Coming To North America
SNK, the Osaka-based game developer best known for its fighting games, has made a shooting game that features its fighting game characters. Dubbed KOF: Sky Stage, the vertical shmup has characters like curvy ninja Mai Shiranui fly over freeways and shoot enemies — or in Mai’s case, throw fans at them. The game has been…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 31, 2010 -
Mafia II Upcoming DLC Packs A Vendetta
Crime game Mafia II is getting its second downloadable add-on called Jimmy’s Vendetta. The DLC follows Jimmy, who is described as “the guy the other guys call when they need to finish the job”. Jimmy cleans up the messes made in Empire Bay, and the game features 30 new quests that run the gamut of…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 31, 2010 -
Grand Theft Auto IV Looks Great As A First-Person Shooter
Here’s what Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto IV would have looked like were it a first-person shooter, and not a third-person…whatever you like to call these games. Before you say it, I agree, it’s not entirely practical for the purposes of playing the game. Combat, always the trickiest part of a GTA game, is made even…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 31, 2010 -
Blizzard Hiring, Strongmen Needed
Interested in a job with Starcraft and Warcraft developers Blizzard? You’re going to need to put on a gun show. Reader Chris pointed us toward this advertisement for a Junior Linux Administrator, and among the expected criteria like a driver’s license, knowledge of Linux and a bachelor’s degree is this: Ability (and willingness) to lift…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 31, 2010 -
This Monster Hunter Spin-Off Looks Popular
PSP title MonHun Nikki: Poka Poka Ailu Mura, the spin-off game feature the Monster Hunter cats, went on sale on August 26. It looks like it is really popular. Japanese websites have been collecting photos that show that the game is sold out at a variety of retailers (Sofmap, Bic Camera, Yodabashi Camera). These kinds…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 31, 2010 -
Starcraft II’s Baneling Is Cuter Than You Thought
Starcraft’s Baneling is a Zerg unit, meaning it’s a slimy, repulsive bug sort of thing. That explodes. Luckily this plush representation is a little more cuddly! Made to order by Etsy user BoRoShan, at the moment, you can expect a 1-2 week wait to get your hands on one. At the moment. If you all…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 31, 2010 -
Let The Beast Show You How To Hold Your Stick
Daigo Umehara. AKA “The Beast”. AKA The best Street Fighter player on Earth. If there’s someone who might have advice on how to improve your game, it’s him. Earlier this year, Umehara appeared on NHK (think BBC for Japan) and provided tips on how gamers can sharpen their game. His reflexes are lighting quick and…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 31, 2010 -
Feeling Down? Watch A Kitten Play Duck Hunt
Sure, she’s cheating by standing so close. But you try playing Duck Hunt with no opposable thumbs. It’s a fairly good effort, especially later in the clip as “Claire” begins to learn she’s only supposed to be clawing madly at the ducks, not the dog as well. [via Go Nintendo]
By Luke Plunkett Published August 31, 2010 -
BioShock Creator On BioShock Movie’s Progress
Hollywood is working on a big screen version of underwater opus BioShock. There have been stops and starts, but the game’s designer Ken Levine assures the film adaption is being “actively” worked on. “I will say that it is still an active thing,” Levine tells DC radio station 106.7. “And it is something we are…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 31, 2010 -
Goodbye, “ATI”
Nvidia vs ATI. To PC gamers who are big on their hardware races, it’s like Ford vs GM, Packers vs Bears or Sony vs Microsoft. Sadly, it’s a fight that’s about to get a name change. When processing giant AMD bought ATI a few years back, it kept the old name around, but with a…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 31, 2010 -
And Finally, Years Later, My Wii Is Online
The Nintendo Wii launched in 2006. For one reason or another, I wasn’t able to get my Wii online, save for a brief spell when Super Smash Bros. Brawl was released. Today all that changed, and my Wii is online. This morning, a wonderful fellow at Nintendo was kind enough to walk me through the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 31, 2010 -
Final Fantasy Dev: Japanese Games Slipping Because Of Technology, Passion
Why aren’t Japanese games made by companies not called Nintendo not as big or important as they used to be? Square Enix’s Final Fantasy veteran Akitoshi Kawazu has a theory. “Aside from a few well-known titles, games from Japan are receiving less and less attention, regardless of if it’s an RPG or not”, he told…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 31, 2010 -
A Week In Comments
Sony Gets Federal Court to Temporarily Block Sale Of PS3 Modchips [Update] Comment by: newmark5 Nominated by: UsernameOfTheDead Sony has to do this, everyday it breaks my heart when I walk down the street and I see a homeless Sony employee or some other developer who was put on the street from piracy. Forget that…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 31, 2010 -
“According To My Supervisor, There Are No Such Things As Portals”
Internet funny man David Thorne received an abnormally hefty gas bill earlier this month. He blames two portals, a PlayStation 3 and Prince Adam of Eternia. Or, he does in this email conversation with the surprisingly up-front Allison Hayes from Aussie gas provider AGL, who first provided Thorne with days of fun before he finished…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 31, 2010 -
Why This Lady Has a Zelda Tattoo
On a recent episode of cloak-and-dagger thriller series Rubicon, a female analyst explains to Miles Fielder, played by actor Dallas Roberts, why she has a Triforce tattoo. Haven’t seen this show yet — is it any good? Thanks for the tip, Jeff!
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 31, 2010 -
What Kind Of PSP Decorations Represent Yakuza’s Bar Girls?
A Japanese nail saloon has decorated a handful of PSPs covers in the image of in-game hostesses. Thrilling! Here is curvy Yuu Tejima. The design done in her image is called “colorful leopard print”. This is Aya Hoshi. The design is called “Black Love”, because the PSP-3000 is covered with black rhinestone-type thingies and has…
By Brian Ashcraft Published August 31, 2010 -
Microsoft Promises More, Bigger Games For PC Owners
Microsoft’s two most recent PC game reveals were welcome, sure, but they were also catered towards a certain end of the market: the end that is cool with playing browser games. But what about the PC gamers that hardware companies would call “enthusiasts”? Is there a game coming for them, something for them to double-check…
By Luke Plunkett Published August 31, 2010