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Unpaid Internet Bill Leads to Game-Blamed Stabbing
Game-blame news from Romania: a 15-year-old boy said to be “dependent” on video games stabbed to death his adoptive mother, after she refused to pay the Internet bill in hopes the disconnection would put an end to his Counter-Strike addiction. In the narrative of the attack the boy, Ionut Savin (pictured), stabbed his mother (on…
By Owen Good -
The Long Hello: Games ‘Arrive’ as a Threat to Network TV
Anyone old enough to remember RF switchers knows that video games and network television have long competed for the same eyeballs on the same TV set. Only recently does it feel like games are getting credit – or blame, rather – for contributing to the decline of prime time programming. This discussion has reconstituted itself…
By Owen Good -
Rest In Peace, Taco Bell Guy
After countless marathon gaming sessions interrupted only by alternating runs to “the border” for cheap Mexican food and the bathroom, I can’t let the passing of Taco Bell founder Glen W. Bell Jr. go unnoticed by our readers. Many gamers, myself included, consider tacos to be the ultimate food. Indeed, if it weren’t for the…
By Mike Fahey -
Heavy Rain’s ESRB Rating Spoils Everything
The ESRB has given Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain an M for Mature rating, explaining the game’s drug use, violence, horror, and sexual situations in ridiculous detail. Needless to say, spoilers ahead. Here’s the obligatory paragraph I put in between the lead and the actual rating listing, in order to make sure no one accidentally reads…
By Mike Fahey -
Aliens VS. Predator Kill Moves Are A Tad Bit Graphic
Actually they aren’t too bad, provided you turn the sound down a little and keep your hand away from the pause button. Pause is not your friend here. It’s hard to tell who at developer Rebellion is having more fun making this game – the animation guys, figuring out creative new ways to mangle 3D…
By Mike Fahey -
DeathSmiles Smiles On North America
The top-selling shoot-em up of this console generation is coming to North America, as Aksys Games announces a U.S. release for Cave’s brilliant Xbox 360 gothic lolita shooter, DeathSmiles. DeathSmiles is a scrolling shooter, but instead of piloting spaceships through unknown galaxies, you fly young angels and their demonic familiars through the gothic world of…
By Mike Fahey -
This Week In XBLA: Death By Cube And Vandal Hearts
Square Enix‘s blood-filled box shooter Death by Cube is joined by the prequel to Konami’s 1996 tactical role-playing game Vandal Hearts to form this week’s new additions to the Xbox Live Arcade. Robots shooting cubes filled with blood – this is the perfect way to describe Square Enix’s new twin-stick shooter, Death by Cube, which…
By Mike Fahey -
Here’s What You Get For Preordering Skate 3
EA’s Skate 3 might not come with a high tech plastic skateboard controller like its chief “competition,” but putting money down on the sequel does earn you this nifty exclusive skate park. Now that I think about it, “Doesn’t come with a high tech plastic skateboard controller” could actually be a selling point. Easily as…
By Mike Fahey -
Hellgate To Reopen In The West, For Real This Time
Just when you thought North America and Europe were safe from the invasion of hell spawn, Korean online gaming publisher HanbitSoft goes and acquires international publishing rights for Hellgate from Namco Bandai, and all hell breaks loose. Yes, this time they mean it. HanbitSoft first announced plans to reignite Hellgate: London in November of 2008,…
By Mike Fahey -
The Nintendo Download: Everybody Let’s Muscle March
Men (and bears) in tight bikini briefs invade the Nintendo Download this week, bringing Dark Void Zero, Starship Defense, The Secret of Shinobi, and more along for the wild ride. Namco Bandai’s Muscle March (500 Wii points) is one of the oddest titles to hit the WiiWare service so far. Thieves have made off with…
By Mike Fahey