When EA and BioWare recently announced that Mass Effect 2 would be landing on the PlayStation 3 in January 2011, it’s safe to say that the news was accompanied by mixed emotions on behalf of the veteran RPG-maker’s fan-base. Obviously, it’s great that PS3 owners will soon get their hands on one of the most highly-praised RPGs of this generation, but in the grand scheme of things, should BioWare fans feel the need to be concerned over the announcement?

On this week’s edition of EpicBattleCry we try to make sense of it all by discussing whether or not the BioWare many fans have come to know and love is fading away under the outstretched arm of new publisher Electronic Arts. After all, does the simple fact that the renowned “quality over quantity” developer is going to release a second installment of a franchise to an entire audience with no way of playing the first say anything meaningful about its core values? Now that we can almost guarantee a simultaneous PS3, PC, and 360 launch of Mass Effect 3, should we be worried that the game itself will suffer from “going mainstream”?

Obviously, there are A LOT of questions and very few answers, but the point of this week’s Member BattleCry topic is to evaluate the state of BioWare from YOUR perspective and productively discuss the scenario we gamers are faced with. This is NOT a conversation about PS3 vs 360, so check your inner fanboy at the door…This is about discussing a talented studio coming from humble beginnings and evolving into a much larger company that took a boat load of cash to become a part of a much bigger corporation. Does BioWare’s position within EA simply mean that more gamers will have the chance to experience their great games? Has joining EA made BioWare a slave to the “bottom line” where games are less about quality and more about units sold? What should long-time fans of the developer feel about their current objectives and the quality of the experiences they put forth? So, It’s with these thoughts in mind that we post the following Member BattleCry Topic Starter question to you:

DO YOU THINK BIOWARE IS HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?

Again, this topic is in NO WAY meant to be a battle about PS3 vs. 360, PC, or any other platform…It is simply about BioWare becoming one of the big boys for EA and the ramifications that will have (if any) on their ability to create the types of experiences fans have come to enjoy so much. If you need a refresher before speaking your mind, you can check out the most recent BioWare news on EBA right here. Bring any angle to the discussion you like, but please stay on point and do your best to contribute to a quality discussion this week on the ‘Axe. Of course, we’ll be selecting the Member BattleCry of the Week to be featured on the next Skirmish of EpicBattleCry, so be on the lookout for that!

Also, take a moment to vote in the poll about BioWare this week as we collectively Cry Havoc and Let Our Voices Be Heard!!! Thank in advance for your input and enjoy this week’s Member BattleCries here on EpicBattleAxe.com!

Cheers,
DK

This past week the gaming world was rocked by the announcement of Irrational’s BioShock Infinite. I was fortunate enough to be on-hand for the event and lemme tell ya, it was a grand unveiling. The tone of every person behind the project, the venue, and of course the game itself seemed to suggest that while BioShock fans will feel a sense of familiarity, Infinite is vastly different in almost every way. We discuss the announcement on the most recent Skirmish of EpicBattleCry and dive into a conversation about developers playing it save with proven formulas or going out on a limp to experiment with new ideas, locations, characters, etc. We know how we feel about the matter, but this week on the ‘Axe we’re opening up the floor to get YOUR input pertaining to what you like to see in sequels. So, It’s with these thoughts in mind that we post the following Member BattleCry Topic Starter question to you:

WHEN IT COMES TO SEQUELS, DO YOU PREFER ORIGINALITY OR STICKING WITH WHAT WORKS?

Sure, it’s a tough question, but we want you to think about games/franchises that you love and evaluate those that have mostly remained the same (like Zelda for instance) or those that have mixed it up…With BioShock Infinite’s setting and characters vastly different from its predecessors, do you think Irrational is making a decision fans will be excited about or are they risking too much in reinventing Rapture? As always, we hope you participate in a constructive conversation on the topic this week. Don’t bash anyone else’s opinions and please feel free to make your own known. We’ll be selecting the Member BattleCry of the Week to be featured on the next skirmish of EpicBattleCry so be on the lookout for that!

Also, we’ve set up a poll for to gather your feedback on the the BioShock Infinite announcement, so be sure and take a moment to cast your vote as we collectively Cry Havoc and Let Our Voices Be Heard!!!

Cheers,
DK

Welcome back mighty Axeheads! As the week rolls on, we continue to dive into the discussion on why we game. We’ve seen a dearth of opinion on the matter this week everything from sheer entertainment to therapeutic escapism.

Today’s Member Battle Cry comes from theguyinyourhead who, in addition to telling you to steer into oncoming traffic while laughing maniacally, draws some clever connections between gaming and the natural impulse all humans exhibit towards creativity, competition, and recreation.
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Hello and welcome Axeheads! In this week’s episode of the EpicBattleCry podcast, we, your humble Axe Lords, took a detour through philosophical territory when we posed the question: why do we game? Those four words have launched a tidal wave of opinion and comment from the EBA community on the matter and, no surprise, the reasons are as varied as the people. Whether for fun, story, tech-love, or pwnage, we all love gaming and this week has sort of turned into an impromptu celebration of that.

One cat who came to get down was Axehead Neeqs. Their Battle Cry may be breif, but it rings true and runs deep for all of us. Let me turn things over to Neeqs, as they answers the question of the moment: why do you game?
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It’s time for another week of discussion here on EpicBattleAxe.com, but instead of looking out into the void for our topic, we’re turning the tables to examine YOU, the gamers of the EBA Community. How you ask? Well, with the industry at a cross-roads and so many lines being drawn in the sand, we thought it would be a good time for the gamers of the world to look a bit within themselves and as why they game in the first place. Do you enjoy gaming for the challenge it provides? Are you a “story first, gameplay second” kind of gamer? What about looking at the medium from an artistic or technological point of view?

You see, unlike other mediums, gaming is vastly different at what it offers depending on what you’re seeking to get out of it. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at learning how diverse the medium can be once you start seeing some responses rolling in here. I know discussing this very topic on Skirmish 085 of EpicBattleCry opened my eyes to a lot of things about the medium, which is why we’re proud to use EBA as a platform to discuss the topic this week. So, It’s with these thoughts in mind that we post the following Member BattleCry Topic Starter question to you:

WHY DO YOU GAME?

Obviously, this is an open-ended question, but that’s kind of the point. Why? Well, because there is no right or wrong answer…there can only your thoughts on what the experience of gaming means to you! We hope this insightful look at our community sparks an interest in seeing the medium from multiple angles and we thank all of the Axe heads in advance for constructively commenting below! We’ll be picking the best BattleCry as the Member BattleCry of the Week which will be featured on Skirmish 085 of EBC.

Also, we’ve set up a poll for to address the question from a top-line perspective, so be sure and take a moment to cast your vote as we collectively Cry Havoc and Let Our Voices Be Heard!!! Enjoy!

Cheers,
DK

Welcome Axeheads to yet another week of discussion here on EpicBattleAxe.com! Before we begin, I wanted to give a special shout out to any and all that contributed to our conversation last week pertaining to video game reviews. As many of you know, the point of EBA is to provide a productive platform for gamers and industry folk alike to speak their mind, challenge relevant issues, and CRY HAVOC to LET THEIR VOICE BE HEARD! Last week provided some great ideas and feedback regarding an important facet of the industry, and I’m super proud that EBA can be at the center of that discussion.

So, on to this week then…With Comic-Con 2010 now in the books, we’re figuring pretty much ALL of the big comic or super-hero-themed games on the horizon have been made known to the masses. Question is, which one are YOU looking forward to the most? I mean, there are PLENTY to choose from, but is there a specific game that you simply can’t wait to get your hands on? What about a title that you feel has the chance to prove your fav super-hero is indeed the coolest of all? It’s with these thoughts in mind that we post the following Member BattleCry Topic Starter question to you:

WHICH UPCOMING COMIC / SUPER-HERO-THEMED GAME ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST?

Of course, the discussion is wide open so feel free to name any game so long as it includes some comic/super-heor goodness. Also, as always, respect other people’s opinions when commenting. We’re not starting a “Character X can beat the shit out of Character Z” topic here…we’re trying to gauge your particular interest in relevant upcoming games. Give us, and your fellow Axeheads, a reason to be just as excited as you by constructively commenting below! We’ll be picking the best BattleCry as the Member BattleCry of the Week which will be featured on Skirmish 085 of EBC.

Lastly, pick from the list in this week’s poll to let us know which game you’re the most excited about! Alright gang, it’s time to kick off another week of discussion as we collectively Cry Havoc and Let Our Voices Be Heard!!! Enjoy!

Cheers,
DK

Lo’ ye children of the ‘Axe! It’s time to collectively Cry Havoc and Let Our Voices Be Heard on yet another important issue facing the gaming industry today. As discussed on Skirmish 083 of EpicBattleCry, this week we’re gathering YOUR input pertaining to the state of video game reviews. That’s right, the highly-controversial topic is invading the ‘Axe with one purpose in mind; TO GET SOME RESULTS! You see, it appears that basically everyone has a slightly different opinion on game reviews. Should scores matter as much as they do? Should scores be included at all? What about the tone of the review? How often do you find reviews to be truly helpful in making a purchasing decision?

There are A LOT of questions surrounding this important industry topic and the goal here this week is to constructively generate feedback from REAL gamers that we hope to pass on and ultimately influence how things get done. So, with that in mind, please take a moment to answer this week’s Member BattleCry Topic Starter:

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF GAME REVIEWS AND HOW DO REVIEWS INFLUENCE YOUR PURCHASING DECISIONS?

As a reminder, everyone is free to state their own personal opinion. There is no right or wrong, just suggestions. Keep the conversation constructive and DO NOT bash anyone else’s idea or opinion. If you’ve got a counter point then make it – but don’t disrupt the conversation by being a jerk. Simple as that. Of course, we’ll be checking the Member BattleCries all week long and then selecting one Member BattleCry of the Week that will be showcased on the next skirmish of EpicBattleCry.

Oh, and we’re also asking you to cast your vote in the EpicBattleAxe.com poll this week regarding your perception of game reviews. Between the poll and your MBCs, we hope to generate some great feedback for the decision makers in our industry! Have fun and thanks in advance for your participation!!!

Cheers,
DK

Greetings ye minions of the ‘Axe! DK here kicking off another round of productive discussion with this week’s Member BattleCry topic starter! Now, on the latest edition of EpicBattleCry, we discussed A LOT of things pertaining to DLC. From console-exclusive add-ons to stand alone games, the realm of DLC and digital distribution is quickly becoming a HUGE factor in the gaming industry (in fact, it already is!). So, with that in mind, we’re posing the following question as this week’s Member BattleCry topic starter in order to gauge the TYPE of content our legion of Axe heads loves the most:

WHICH PIECE OF DLC HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE THUS FAR AND WHY?

As always, the discussion is WIDE OPEN. Just be courtesy to your fellow posters and respect other people’s opinions. You can mention any piece of content you want as long as you had to download it to play it. Map packs, single-player add-ons, full games…WHATEVER. The point is to see how many of you appreciate one TYPE of content over another and to generate some feedback for the pubs/devs out there who need to make decisions about how to handle DLC for their games/IPs. Why? Well, we wanna generate some productive dialogue around here! It’s hard for people to give us what we want if we don’t TELL THEM what we want! Of course, we’ll be checking the Member BattleCries all week long and then selecting one Member BattleCry of the Week that will be showcased on the next skirmish of EpicBattleCry.

Also, take a sec to vote in our poll this week (located in the sidebar) to help get some raw data compiled on the types of downloadable content you enjoy the most. It should be a fun week of discussion as we collectively Cry Havoc and Let Our Voices Be Heard!!! Enjoy!

Cheers,
DK

What’s up everyone? DK Money here kicking off yet another discussion this week on EpicBattleAxe.com and hoping you’re all ready to chat up your favorite game sequels in the universe! That’s right, as discussed on the latest Skirmish of EBC, we’re asking you to sound off on the game’s that took a good franchise and made it GREAT! Or, if you prefer, games that tipped the scales and made a particular series memorable by adding that little extra something (or someone) to put it over the edge. Hell, while we’re on the subject, let us know which games you thought solidified a specific brand, elevated the questionable status of a now iconic character, or otherwise defined a franchise (and perhaps a genre) with its greatness! So, with that in mind, we’re posing the following question as this week’s Member BattleCry topic starter:

WHICH GAME SEQUEL IS YOUR FAVORITE AND WHY?

You know the rules gang…Any game from any generation…so long as it is a true sequel and you have a valid point. As usual, this discussion IS NOT a flame war to bash other people’s opinions…Make your point, have fun, respect others, or get the hell out. We’ll be checking the Member BattleCries all week long and then selecting one Member BattleCry of the Week that will be showcased on the next skirmish of EpicBattleCry.

Also, don’t forget to vote in our poll this week about one of the more talked about sequels in the industry right now, Dragon Age 2! As always, we anxiously await your feedback so keep your comments coming as we collectively Cry Havoc and Let Our Voices Be Heard!!!

Cheers,
DK

What’s up everyone? DK here giving a shout out to several of our community members as we highlight some responses to this week’s Member BattleCry topic pertaining to your favorite video game characters of all-time! Now, as you most likely know, we discussed this topic on the most recent Skirmish of EpicBattleCry and then, being the dastardly dudes of discussion that we are, opened the floor up to some feedback. So, that said, hit the jump and check out some of the EBA Community’s responses regarding one of the more memorable characters in recent memory (well, relatively recent anyway…). It’s Gordon Freeman from Half Life and as our loyal Axeheads explain, you’d be hard pressed to find a character that you can relate to more than Valve’s gloriously crafted Gordon.
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