Cover their escape route and move in for the kill, its time for another edition of EpicBattleCry! In this week’s skirmish, we run down the details on The Saboteur‘s day-one-DLC, ponder Medal of Honor‘s move into *cough* Modern combat, check out the rumors of a possible Mirror’s Edge sequel as well as the announced iPhone game, and discuss the new Prince of Persia entry to the Sands of Time series.
With Black Friday already behind us and the Christmas Holiday moving steadily this way, we discuss what gamers want at retail this year. Will Walmart‘s deep price cuts pull shoppers away from specialty boutiques like GameStop? Next up, we take a look at a recent FTC report to Congress that praises the ESRB and calls gaming the most proactive and responsible medium when it comes to keeping adult content away from children.
The Battle Cry of the Week goes to the Gran Turismo 5 Time Trial Challenge, the promise of seeing a new Star Wars game at the Spike VGA‘s this weekend, the recent trailer for Red Dead Redemption, and developers who punish skill.
Remember to sound off below and each week will pick our favorite to become the next Member Battle Cry! Stay sharp.
-iPod compatible mp4 download-
YAY!!!! Ive been suffering from EBC withdrawl all last week… time for my sweet, sweet gaming-news fix! Love you guys! im sure its gonna be as epic as always!
my ebc is to all the developers that stuck with there games no matter how bad the first one did.just looks at assassins creed 1 and killzone 1.both were very terrible and now the sequels are the one of the best in their categories. ps you guys rock!!
Hells Yeah DK, that wud be the freakin COOLEST idea for an ipod game… Wudnt it be the missing link between video gaming and REALITY. ACTUALLY DOING THE THING UR IMITATTING DUIN IN A VIDEO GAME.
I just wanted to comment on what you guys said about Game trade ins, I actually work in a store that does the system you speak of (Trade in for store credit, not gamestop), its Rogers Plus unfortunately on in Canada. We most movies and games, stuff like that but we haven’t until recently been seen that much as a game store. We have stuff like trade in 3 selected titles get the new big game free (like Modern Warfare or something) and we trade in games for credit that can be used on anything else we sell. So yeah just saying it exists and it works.
Also had a comment about Walmart. I don’t know if they did this in the states but down here for Batman Arkham Asylum they were selling it day one for 30 bucks, and no other retailers knew until the next day. Our trade in credit was 40 bucks day one. So while I agree that games 6 months old should get price cuts, Walmart sometimes does it day one and takes a big loss in a effort to sell other crap to that consumer and then really screws over the retailers that can’t afford that loss or has a business model that turns that loss into profit (via selling other over-priced crap).
WOW… You made it sound like all a gamer wants in a GAMESTOP is a FRIEND…lol!!:D
…its only being a gamer
My Epic Battle Cry goes to all the game developers that are not pressured by SONY, Microsoft, or Nintendo into making a two year or less deadline to create a half ass game just so it can get out there for sale. For example Polyphony Digital, the Gran Turismo makers, they are creating a game now for around 5 rough years seems SONY push them for early 2009 release buy they said no, its not ready yet so they delay the game for one more year year. They have always created quality games with a lot of polish while taking their time.
You guys are the best, but beyond that, i found this podcast to be very good because of the whole parents should really pay more attention. But its not that easy ive worked at a gamestop a long time ago and i told the mom this game is not for children yet they dont care, all they want is to make their kids stop asking for it and shut them up. Apart from that how can you tell someone this is not for your kid, and they say mind your business and sale me the game. But sometimes they do have a point say like metal gear or uncharted 2 are no where near as violent or bad as movies that come out today or ar seen on broadcast tv. Any way you guys take care and have a great holiday, and dont skimp on the show its my fav. you guys do cut threw the bs and odnt care love that.
My EBC goes out to “Tactical Intervention” – the new game by the co creator of counter strike. It looks pretty awesome. I will admit if I saw some screen shots I would probably just be like “OK wow css with a different name but you REALLY have to see the game play footage on youtube and read the preview on ign to get this game.
My EBC goes to people bashing video game for having mature content.The fact is that I don’t get their logic at all.
Apparently,in a game,you can’t shoot civilians like in mw2/gta,but you can become an evil murder god like in baldur’s gate 2?You don’t have the right to steal a car,but you have the right to detonate an atomic bomb(like in fallout 3)?.In how many games are you killing thousands of people before going to the end,and yet people still complain about nudity?
Of course there have been many example of this kind of thinking in recent years,especially with gta,mass effect,modern warfare 2 and so on…
How long will it take for people to finally realise that we are not living in a good world.Let’s face it,we live in a world where a 12 years old kid can willingly witness a bondage rape as long as he has access to internet,where 20000 people die everyday because of the lack of food(while america/europe produces enought food for the whole planet),where gun-selling is one the most unpunished crime,where there is war-like situation in most of the world,where a dictature running on 1/3 contry,and where the so called right of man are ignored every time they can,and yet,despite all that,they are still people ignorant/stupid enought having time to bash video games about violence/nudity,instead of facing the real deal.
I don’t get what they are trying to acomplish,I mean what are they thinking?Do they belive what violence does’nt strike us before majority?That we never watched anyone die before that(on whatever support,or even in real life)?Just look a the Saw movies sells,if violence did’nt interested people,they would’nt be so hight(and maybe the movies would have been better,less comercial,but that’s another story).Same thing goes for nudity,someone has to tell then that we know babies don’t come out of nowhere(considering pornography easy access,this is becoming non-sence).
To thoses who are trying to make mature games and are afraid of censuring:Keep doing thoses,push the limits as hard as you can(otherwise nothing will change),as long as the game is’nt crap sells will go on,we are not(at least the majority of us)as stupid as they are trying to make us look(and please bioware,no pants for the nude scene in me2,I don’t know if you ever tried to have sex with it,but it does’nt work,skip them).
My EBC is a counter-EBC to WinstonSausauge featured in the vidpodcast. I’m sick and tired of these guys who complain about perfectly legitimate weapons, techniques, and playstyles in games. Most noticeably and a recent example being MW2.
The whole “noob tube” & Last Stand perk stigma is just incredibly annoying. Guess what? I use both of those sometimes. And 9 out of 10 times for the noob tube some guy starts railing on me and calling me a f-g and everything else you can imagine. At least I’m playing on the PC so it’s text and not getting screamed into my ear via Xbox Live. Still, kind of grating.
I’m happy to see that Last Stand doesn’t get too much of a bitching out that the grenade launcher does but still annoying when someone starts Q_Qing hardcore cause I managed to get them after they THOUGHT they got me.
I’ve been a victim of both of these things and I don’t bitch. I don’t complain. I don’t even get annoyed. I know what I got myself into when I bought Modern Warfare 2. I know what to expect and I know what’s at my disposal to use in multiplayer. I’m not exploiting a glitch, or cheating, or hacking or whatever. I’m using everything at my disposal which the developers gave me in order to win.
Frankly, if people have such a raging hardon for bitching out people for not playing the game the way they play then they should STFU and go bitch out the developers for not making a game molded just for them.
My battlecry goes out to Infinity Ward because they released a horrible game. Infinity Ward got really cocky
and they betrayed PC gamers, and took what made COD4 so much fun and ruined it. Cluster-*uc* maps, bad respawns, unbalanced weapons. Overall many people I know including gamestop workers are going back to COD4. I hope the upcoming Medal Of Honor is much better than this piece of crap they call the biggest game of all time.
My battlecry goes out to mainly Microsoft because of their lack of backwards compatibility support for Europe. I can’t play my Xbox-copy of Guilty Gear X2 #Reload on my Xbox 360 because I live in Europe. In North America and Japan it is backwards compatible and you can even get it on Games on Demand but not here in Europe. Now that I have a SF4 TE FightStick I was hoping to use it for this really great fighting game but no, I decided to live in Europe so I get shitfaced.
That’s my battlecry
My EBC goes to whomever is making that delicious Kool-aid for Microsoft.
Sony announced Netflix is coming to PS3, and Microsoft replied saying they will still keep the Netflix application on 360 for Gold members exclusively because their service is a “generation ahead” of the competition. I don’t really like the way they are fabricating “value” for their Gold memberships with applications and services that are free everywhere else. I can’t help but feel glad the BBC said no to MS for wanting to offer the BBC iPlayer exclusively to Gold members, especially when it is freely available on PS3 and WII.
Really, pass some of that Kool-aid, I’d like to know what it feels to be that high.
My EBC goes out the over used concept of cinematic games. One prime example is Uncharted 2. There is nothing wrong with the game and I plan to buy it soon, but I’m sick and tired of people telling me it’s the best game because it’s like a movie. I buy games to play them, if I wanted to see a movie then I’ll go out and pay 7 bucks for it, not waist 60. I like the cinematic factor of the game but I do not think that it is the reason to buy it.
first you saw the new mass effect 2 triller Cool. but want to know what you think of the two Spans Discs mass effect 2
My Battle Cry goes out to DK, and his notion that NO ONE under the age of 18 should play M-Rated games (at least that’s what I took away from it).
For one, I know that your average 14-year-old is a bad-mouthed horndog brat, but I for one am 14 and I play all kinds of games. My parent’s know everything I play, what it’s rated, and why it’s rated that way.
They just believe that I’m mature (and close to the Lord, but that’s a whole ‘nother discussion).
My Battle Cry of the Week goes to Bioware and Valve for being such great developers and most importantly how they listen to the fans. It,s pretty rare that you see a game developer take the criticisms and actually improve on what people want instead of just doing whatever.
Mass Effect 2 isn’t out yet but I’m sure Bioware made sure that’s it’s going to be awesome.
My first battle cry post but here it is. My battle cry goes out to developers that don’t force DLC down our throats and don’t take away from the main game just to put out DLC. Companies like Rockstar with Grand Theft Auto IV and Bethesda with Fallout 3 did DLC right and should be the standard for DLC. Recently I’ve been disappointed in developers particularly Ubisoft. I loved Assassin’s Creed 2 but they took out 2 DNA sequences in the middle of the game and are going to sell them as DLC early next year. I guess that paying $60 for their game isn’t enough so they have to take out parts of the game and sell it for an extra $10-15 later on. Even games like Prince of Persia where you had to pay for the real ending to the game! DLC is great but not when it takes away from the main game.
My battle cry goes out to the level of diversity that games have come to these days. There is basically any game out there for anybody, if you want to be some star fleet commander leading a crew across space, theres a game for you, if you want to be a solider in a realistic war there is a game for you, if you want slay orcs, and lay some dwarfs, hell there is a game for you. Looking back on this year and seeing all the different games and experiences they offer, it makes me happy to know how far games have come. I never would have imagined just 15 years ago that games would allow you to do some of the things games do today.
yo guys my ebc goes out to gamestaq.com. they are a used game trading site where they only take something like 2 bucks per trade. i bought bionic comando for the xbox 360 from them a while ago and the total came to 23.50$, a little better then the 50$ my local eb games was selling for. but after visiting the site lately it seems like they are loosing steam big time. the game lineup seems to have stoped at modern warefare and i think that this is because of lac of advertising. it kills me to see a company with a model like this that works and doesn’t screw over the customer fail just because they can’t reach the mass market via tv ads and est.
i plan to buy borderlands from them and hope that they will beable to get enough support to coninue so that i can get a chance to purchase ac2.
great show and thanks
My battle cry goes out to the beauty developers put into games. I’m not just talking about hyper realism. its those things that just stick out among the others and makes you go “WOW”. Some of the most prominent being Shadow of the Collosus, God of War, Assassins Creed 2, Pixel Junk: Eden.
It doesn’t even have to be new games. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island is still one of the best looking games in my opinion.
Those kinds of games stick out to me as having a very high standard in their quality.
I totally agree with Daniel that we miss the social experience of going into our local gaming dispensary and simply talking games with other gamers.
I worked at EB Games for 3 years as a sales clerk, and during that time I lived the dream. I worked with a group of guys that truly loved gaming and who belonged to very different corners of the gaming universe: MMO guys, FPS guys, Sports guys, and everything in between. We had different tastes in genres but one thing that we all shared was a love of gaming and gaming culture.
Our store had been in at the same location at the Erin Mills Town Center in Mississauga Ontario for over a decade by the time I started working there and we had a number of long time customers that we knew on a first name basis that would come in after work or during their lunch break to talk games, new releases hot coffee mods and whatever we had read about the day before. These were hardcore gamers that didn’t need us to recommend which games to buy, they were gamers like us that knew they could come to our store and feel at home talking to the staff and not feel pressured or a nuissance.
We went the extra mile at our store, trying to help out the moms and uncles and aunts that had no idea what they were buying, but we didn’t fall in with that bullshit pressure routine that head office always wanted us to push on people for accessory attachement and upselling. For that reason we had a lot of return customers that knew us by name and felt comfortable knowing that when we recommended a game for them, they knew it was appropriate for the person they were buying it for.
At our store, everybody knew your name, and we were always glad you came, haha.
We lived the dream for as long as we could before splitting up, and I just want to give a shout out to the dream team at EB Games Erin Mills Town Center as I remember it: Jon, Trevor, Dave, Jay, Kenny (yes even you Kenny) and Amrit (myself).
My EBC goes out to gaming magazines. It seems like there is little reason to buy them anymore with all these gaming sites and the vast amounts of information available online. Personally, I would not even be receiving any, if I didn’t get some special deal at a game store. I think it’s kind of sad because there is just something enjoyable and exciting about receiving a magazine in the mail, and there is something nostalgic about them as well. What sucks is that, if you follow all these gaming sites, there is really very little to get excited about when you receive them. I hope gaming companies start supporting the sites and the mags exclusively. What I mean is that they should provide different info, reveals, and interviews to each format so that we have reasons to go to both for our news fix. They do it now with the cover stories but it’s rarely worth it, you can usually find the same stuff online.
what is annoying and my battle cry is, this sony error code, 805014050f or whatever it is, basically its a non start error, no disc error, or just froze up error. worst case scenario i get the black screen of perpetual loading and nothing happens. just keeps loading, and loading. better progress it lets me play a round after trying to load mw2 and then freezes when the match is over. bottom line is it wont load and play any movies, blu rays, or any of my like 20 ish ps3 titles. by wont load, i mean it wont even show the icon to acknowledge the disc in the drive. so i guess i lose my backwards compatibility and try and ship it off to sony to fix it for me. and in the mean time i guess i buy a ps3 slim….kinda lame and shity if u ask me. that it errors itself and theres no way to fix it except to ship it to sony.
My battle cry goes out to smthn that’s been discussed time and time again. I’m talkin about how PC gamers are being shafted more and more, like with the “consolisation” of titles like MW2 or with console exclusive DLC namely GTA4, so on and so forth… Myself being both a console and pc gamer I can understand where the heart of both systems is, and for all of the pc’s adaptability, modding capability, and hardware evolution, marketing has the decisive word, thus forcing fans either boycott a franchise or, take matters into their own hands.. like coding a dedicated server for a game that lacks one?
It’s amazing how much “hate” PC gaming is getting from the current console generation. Here I’m talkin about both developers and gamers alike.. Sometimes i also feel like consoles are keeping games in 1 spot and not allowing them to evolve with the upcoming hardware, other times, i’m astounded and glad to see the amount of hard work and dedication some dev’s put into optimizing, innovating methods to get more from less, pc gaming included.
I guess what i’m tryin to say is that although both platforms have their pros and cons the market as of late has been catering to console gaming in an merciless fashion. I can understand PC and console exclusives, i love how some game genres have a diff feel to them depending on platforms.. but i fail to understand why, oh why (cashcow) they need to push out a game on PC like MW2 or GTA4 (sparing the bad ports and such) that’s clearly not targeted at that platform, no further support along the lines of DLC’s, no listening to that platform’s userbase.. just a tease i guess u could call it.
Corporate whores all around. ( present company excluded DK-PUNmeister)Marketing ploys are messing up the feel.. and what it meant to be a gamer. Not getting yelled at by halo gamers who clearly haven’t got their pubes yet(consoles), and neither getting the short end of the stick(PC), it used to be about fun, immersion, the “geeky” feel of being a gamer is gone.. globalisation kinda ruined stuff. ( Now that i’m thru wih the nostalgia… I don’t mind some of those cash cows… sometimes all the money got from em.. comes back in the sequel to make a really good game..)
My battle cry goes out to Dead Space 2. The first Dead Space was an incredible game due to a number of great features such as the removal of the head-up display, strategic dismemberment, and the zero gravity sections. With all those features making a return and the other features that Visceral Games will bring to the table just makes me want to get the game even more. But what makes this announcement really cool is the picture, which can be viewed at http://twitpic.com/s61qb, included in the announcement. In this inkblot like picture, you can clearly see “The Marker” in the middle surrounded by a number of Necromorphs. At the bottom of the picture appears to be text from the “Church of Unitology”. This picture is just a good example of game marketing because it provides a number hints for what might be in the game if you know the source material. Congrats to Visceral Games for adding some material to wet gamers appetite and contributing to my new PC background.
Hey guys great show!
My Battle Cry goes to your conversation about minors buying “inappropriate” video games for their age.
I dont know what age limit you are thinking but I am only 13 years of age.
My father is a gamer and enjoys playing all the games I play. I HAVE been in the airport hosing down civilians and I HAVE watched my character getting down with a blue alien in Mass Effect. My father knows what I play and its not that he is a bad parent but it is that he understands his son.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that there are some (or very small amount) minors who understand what they are buying, who understand what they are seeing and taking part in as a gamer. Its not just stupid kids who think they are so baddass because they just got the newest game for a rip price who play games.
I ALSO believe that gaming hasn’t effected me in any heavy way. I have a social life, I don’t have the urge to kick peoples faces in and I maintain my studies. I simply have a hobby that involves certain explicit material and before you say that these kids think they understand but they really don’t remember that I watch you guys every week.
So although there are only a few of us remember that we are here!
My Battle Cry goes out to the apparent death of the RTS. It seams to me that Real Time Strategy games have become a dieing genre so few get released and even if they do they never seam to get any attention. (although I assume StarCraft2 when it comes out will have a lot of attention around It)
Even now I see that the VGA’s doesn’t even have a Best RTS Award and I know that not many RTS’s have come out this year but there were still some amazing ones like Dawn of War2 and Empire Total War.
I just think its a shame that the RTS genre has been left in the dark by developers, publishers and even the gaming media. I can see a time soon where only the biggest RTS franchises that have been around for years like C&C and StarCraft are left and we lose a classic genre of gaming. I would love to hear what you guys think about this.
Keep up the good work guys.
I work in a GAME-store in Sweden right now and I reacted to what you had to say about the ESRB and also the fact that Daniel said something about gamers that wants to discuss Gaming and so on with the employees.
Basically I encounter so many parents that knows fuck all about the games that their children wants to buy, for instance; A mum/dad walks in with his son and wants to purchase GTAIV for the Xbox360, which in Sweden is rated Mature and therefore I won’t sell it to anyone that isn’t 18 or over. And I tell the parents that, and their like “Well… It’s just a video game. No worries!”
And then I explain all the things you can do, buy prostitues and yada yada yada. And now their raising a eyebrow, and I just say “Would you allow them to watch a really scary movie?” And I honest, ALWAYS get the same bloody reply.
“Movies and video games arn’t the same thing, of course I would allow him to watch something that isn’t in his age recomendation(spelling).” And now I’m like seriously pissed off, video games that have the Mature rating and movies that has the Mature rating isn’t the same thing, video games are often much more worse because you do it yourself.
Oh and I really enjoy customers that wants to chat about games, it’s wicked.
TL;DR
Most parents are fucking idiots and they really shouldn’t have kids.
My EBC goes out to countries, especially Australia, who are constantly getting screwed over. Not only with the banning of software such as the left 4 dead 2 debacle, or the more recent alien verse predator fiasco, but also the postponement of certain content.
Xbox live only very recently got movies on demand in australia, PSN still doesn’t have it, and last year we were only getting rockband when you already had rock band 2. Whats up with that? and then when a nation other than the US gets something early, you blow up. (party games like singstar and buzz come to mind).
I just wish the gaming industry was more fair, and australia could catch a break.
My EBC goes out to Visceral Games (formerly Redwood Shores EA). In the last 2 days it’s been announced that there’s gonna be a sequel to Dead Space, and Dante’s Inferno is pretty much set to dominate when it’s released in March.
I appreciate that their studio is doing mature titles, even if EA is cocking up their marketing (molesting booth babes and nanny killer trophies), but their focus appears to be the product, as opposed to the gore. They’re going to great lengths to get 60fps for Dante, have great environments for the game, and get the feel of the game right.
Dead Space put more horror and tension back into survival horror, with its sound, environments and atmosphere, then the Resi Evil series has since its creation, so I’m glad EA has stuck by the IP, even if it didnt sell like Resi 5 (criminal).
I usually dont get excited about a studios output, Visceral gives me (red)wood!
epic show…..missed you guys (and, to a lesser extent, the pun-age)
My Battlecry goes out to all those people who are naive and think that any ratings system is an succes because no matter what you put on a game box, a dvd/blu-ray or a cd being it “an ESRB rating”, “a rating score” or a “hit of the year remark” minors are still going to get theire hands on what they want. They will simply get anyone they know who is old enough to buy it for them. Most retailers don´t even ask about the age when something like a game is being purchased they only care about the sell “Profit” just like every other store in the world or those who sell things like alcohol or cigarettes. The only time they care about it is if they get caught doing it then they
apologise and 2 weeks later they are doing it again.
P.S. Must be nice to work in the games industry and already know what the
“SECRET NEW GAMES BEING ANNOUNCED AT SPIKE”
are already…. well except for tony and brent off course
I just hope they won´t be crap….
My EBC of BUTCHERY! Goes out to the people who advertise for Nintendo in the UK on TV and to stop using celebrities to peddle their products, we all know what the Wii and DS do by now and really cannot give a crap about who plays it. I do not understand why they do this, where as Sony and Microsoft advertise their exclusive games and then the console at the end of the advert. As I’m sure we as the consumer are more interested in the games each system has to offer. For instance they show footage of Uncharted 2, then at the end show PS3 logo, tells me a little about the game and what system its on, simple and effective. All we see on Nintendo advert is celebrities showing us how a Wii and DS works…….. the only people who need to know that are civilizations that have not been touched by technology and have survived a massacre from the tribesmen of CARNAGE! but would be interested to know how games and consoles are advertised in the US if you lot have the same problem we do with Nintendo.
My EBC goes to John Riccitiello and all the other publishers that are currently thinking “why doesn’t our great wii titles sell”. The problem is that about 80% of the wii consoles are beeing used as babysitters. The parents who doesn’t play themselfs buy wii to their 5-12 old kids and buys safe games like mario and wii sport games for the kids to play. They aren’t interested to games like madworld and dead space. Or even if the parent is a HC-player he/she will buy wii and play new zelda and then go back to playing 360 or ps3, and buy some “kids” games for the wii for his/her kid, so he can play “adult” games without distraction.
The core audience of wii is just people who doesn’t give a sh*t about the AAA action games. And the ones that cares is too busy playing the current generation games in HD.
My EBC goes out to the clone wars. No not that one but to the secondary characters or enemies in videogames. I just finished playing Uncharted 2, a well made game from top to bottom except the damn copy and paste enemies. Why do developers constantly put hordes of dumb clones in games for us to fight? I would much rather go head to head with 5 unique, smart enemies than 25 dumb Boys from Brazil. Naughty Dog went to the trouble of having water drops drip from ice mountains but the enemies are all from the same mother. The games need better secondary characters. How about an enemy who can’t aim because he’s off his meds and he has to kick you? Or maybe an enemy who can actually dodge my bullets? Water drops….geez…
My (double) battle cry goes to struggling third-party developers. I think the recession is taking its toll on developers right about now. Not just financial troubles, but desperate attempts at rushing a game out to meet deadlines, just to make a quick buck and risk quality. But this is where the second battle cry comes in – delays. As far as I’m concerned, delays these days are a double edged blade. Take Alpha Protocol (maybe not the best example) but that game is been delayed for months so we get a higher quality product. And while that’s good and all, I can’t help but hear their funds cry out (no pun intended). These developers are delaying their games for a brilliant quality title, but risk their future to do so. And it pains me to see stuff like that.
Thanks.
My battle cry goes out to the hypocrisy sometimes present within the games media. When Six Days in Falluja was announced as in development by a rather unknown studio there was this massive uproar about the setting and nature of the game. This carried on to the extent where the game basically lost its publisher and many jobs were cut at the developing studio. Yet in the meantime both Modern Warfare 2 and the newly announced Medal of Honor reboot have either portions or the entirety of the game spent as a soldier in Afghanistan. In fact the Medal of Honor developers brag about the level of authenticity in the war experience they intend to deliver. The gaming press however has not said a word about this and my only guess as to why is because both games (MW2 and MoH) are by prominent studios and publishers; or is the difference rather that it is OK to set a game in modern day war-time Afghanistan but not modern day Iraq?
You only get certain games in America for trade-ins?
In britain basically every game shop that offerers trade-ins allow you to get credit for any game and the ones where you trade one game for a specific other are less successful and only for week or so old games then they get changed…
My EBC goes out to indie games. I find that a lot of people aren’t aware of how cool some indie games are, even the free ones. There is a community behind indie games but that only on sites like moddb. Indie games like Zombie Driver that is awesome and Natural Selection 2 that looks amazing for a indie game aren’t brought up at all next to the big games. I find that some Indie games have more guality put into them(that’s probably because they don’t have to put up with evil publishers). All I’d like to see is that all the Indie games should get more recognition.
Hey guys my Epic Battle Cry is concerning your last ep. which was great by the way. I’m giving a shout out & props to all the local Gaming stores & less large franchises *cough* Eb games/Gamestop. I have heard that they are also testing somewhat of Automated game trade in machines in the US in Walmarts. I believe Kotaku did an article on it & showed the prices which were really reasonable unlike you know where. I really hope this succeeds and makes it’s way up to Ontario
Also Even though its a franchise Props to Microplay, The one that actually cares about the gamer.
Cheers to another great ep guys looking forward to the next one.
Mrganj
“passin it to the left since 1989″
My Epic Battle Cry goes out to the Saboteur for its nudity patch. I think everyone on the show missed the more important picture on this one. Since I can remember, pc games have always had hacks to give games adult content (nude patches, blood patches). This allowed a publisher to post a game with a safe rating with the ESRB, and pc gamers to get the experience they want. I know developers are afraid to release adult games that get the AO rating, but it seems to me that they can release these games in stores with a M rating now, and have in game codes that allow you to get the extra content if you into that. This is also great for parents, since kids get these games anyhow, it is nice that parents have a way to control content. I hope to see this model used more in the future.
I’d like to give an EBC out to local multiplayer support. As much as online interactions has been an important part of the gaming industry for some time. I’d like to see more games like New Super Mario Bros. Wii in the way that it’s a core game with an emphasis on local multiplayer.
Even games like ‘Splosion Man are what I tend to play when I have friends over because many of the more main stream games only have online multiplayer. Even games in the past that have had 4 player split screen have reduced it to 2 player split screen (Halo 3: ODST and Left 4 Dead 2) I would like to note that Modern Warfare 2 improved their split screen mode drastically since Call of Duty 4 which I was surprised and impressed with. However many people only seem concerned with online. Am I an old fogy, or is local multiplayer still relevant?
My Battle cry goes out to your arrguments about children and what games that they shouldn’t play. It just pisses me of that you say these things. And this is because how the f*** am I supposed to get an A+ game that isn’t 16, 18 or m rated on the xbox 360 or the ps3? (Because the Wii mostly got family and baby games)
I mean what are the odds that I’ll still be into gaming when i grow up if I can’t play them when I’m young?
And you can say these thing because you grew up with nes or snes. Then most of the A+ titles where intended for kids! So you could play the games that where the Modern warfare 2 of that time period.
And there have been major studies that show that gaming does not affect children in a violent way, so thats not an arguement.
And its inevitable that this comes into comparrison with movies. But you really cant do that. For example, if I would watch a movie from let’s say 2004 because I was to young to watch it when it came out I would still get the same value out of watching it. but with games the graphics would be bad. And many other things like that.
And don’t tell me that you didn’t watch a movie that you weren’t supposed to when you where young and if you did, how have it affected you?! Not much I bet!
So I’m going to contniue buy 16, 18 and m rated games so that I can get the games that everybody is talking about right now.
Btw, I’m 14.
What did Game stop ever do to you guys? I live in a town of 30,000 people, in the center of the US. Freezing my @$$ off! And Gamestop is the only place where I can get games. The only other places would be Game Crazy (small privately owned store), and Walmart/Kmart. these stores (respectivly) didn’t carry Assassin’s Creed 2 on the day of it’s launch, and didn’t have dragon Age. I personaly like being able to walk into a stor and startup a conversation with one of the employees. I don’t know what Gamestop did to you, but they haven’t done anything to me.
Wassup, My killing classmates of chrusing?
My Epic Battle Cry this week goes out to Rocksteady studio for the VGA award. You guys said two weeks ago that you think the awards are kinda like a politcal, lets make everyone happy, thing. But the Studio of the year award in my opinion could actually be used to support those studios that came a long way, but aren’t júst their yet. Dont get me wrong, Batman Arkham Asylum was freakin awesome, but it could use a little more polish. Rocksteady could get like a pad on the back for its work on the game, but also a nuge for like, you did great, but just a little more and it is perfect. Or maybe should that be the encouraging award?? i get confusios. But anywho. BAA was Amazing and still is my game of the year and it should definitly kick Modern Warfare 2 out of the freakin ballpark. Way more solid singleplayer experience, really emersive. Hell I think the MW 1 game had a way better SP campaign the 2 did. Though u switched in the first one, you did it only between 3 characters and that was in a real consistent way. In number 2 it was hoppin like hell between several dudes, and you didnt even got to know them proper.
Ah F-it I WANT BATMAN ARKHAM ASYLUM 2!!!!!!
My EBC goes out to all the modders out there. People who can take a game that’s been out for 6 or 7 years and keep it new, fun and awesome deserve some love, especially after they’ve been getting none from more and more publishers/devs as of late, with fewer games releasing with SDKs. I think it even behooves publishers/devs to release SDKs because they can look at mods and see what changes people are making to their games and, if it’s a successful mod, even incorporate the idea into later games (with proper citation of course, modders should be recognized for the work they do, for free) and make the games more suited to what the gamers want.
My epic battle cry goes out to the sudden increase in the price of games. I don’t know if I am the only one who noticed this but before games were 59.99 when they were released but out of no where they have become 69.99 or even 74.99 when they come out. Games are already an expensive luxury but this just pushes it over the top. I have to cut down from buying around 5 games a year to 3.
Noobiablos here. Long time listener/fan, first time Epic Battle Cry….ing? Cryer?
Well, my battle cry goes out to bad journalism, a writer in particular, Anne Kadet.
This woman is a blithering idiot.
End of Battle Cry
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Ok, I’m not REALLY done here. Stupidity of this scale would require a dissertation to truly even begin to understand.
So basically, this woman is suggesting AGAINST getting a PS3 as a gift……now of all times……when it has never been a better time to get a PS3 as a gift.
Well, surely she has a good reason you right?
Is it because of the games you say? No
Is it because of the price you ask? No
Is it because the beautiful black beast of a machine is prettier than she is?……ok, well maybe, but no for context I’m putting it in (psst, it reall IS prettier than her though).
No, none of those things. This woman is suggesting against buying a PS3 because of this reason
The. rechargeable. battery. dies.
I shit you not, and here is the link to the article, with a video included so you can hear the crap from the horses mouth (watch/read at your own discretion, as idiocy of this magnitude can give strong urges to punch the nearest nun, baby, and/or cute furry animal in the face.).
http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/technology/a-grinchs-gift-guide/
This article also popped up on yahoo, here
http://customsites.yahoo.com/financiallyfit/finance/article-108318-3394-3-gifts-you-may-want-to-avoid-html?ywaad=ad0035
I mean, seriously now. Has journalism descended so far into the abyss of IspoutwhateverrandomBSIwant that a person can really get something like this put up on a major site like Yahoo or Smartmoney? It isn’t even some “noob” writer, this is a fricken “Senior” Writer. It truly makes you wonder how many “roosters” she had to “Kirby” to get that job.
I mean, she basically implies that if the thing dies that you’ll have to shell out $50+ to get another one, even though you can recharge the battery using that sorcery known as the “USB cable” that comes in the box. She doesn’t mention anything about Sony replacing the thing for free for up to a year after purchase, and she doesn’t mention that you can buy a battery and replace it yourself for like $5 (of course, I wouldn’t expect her to know that, seeing as how she can’t even read the instruction manual).
I mean, this woman seriously was sitting down and thought that a $55 controller would just DIE and you would have to buy another one every time it happened (and even if she didn’t think it, she is strongly implying it with her article and video). That’s bad enough. What’s worse is the fact that NO ONE CAUGHT IT AND QUESTIONED IT BEFORE IT WAS POSTED UP, and even now they just refuse to correct their mistake and instead choose to tip toe around their goof up.
Heck, she’s also implying (to a lesser degree) that you have to keep buying batteries for the 360 and Wii as well, when you can even buy rechargeable batteries for them as well.
I mean crap dude, the PS3 just cannot catch a break when it comes to this stuff. So much media bashing over the years; “No games” (correction, no BLOCKBUSTERS was really the problem, but that’s a whole different Battle Cry, and it’s pretty much irrelevant now) and “it cost too much” (this was true, but still well worth the price for all of the things it does) being the main ones.
I mean, even after E3, the slim announcement and universal price drop, people bashed the thing. Hell, the week of E3 it was like the PS3 bashing went into over drive.
So yeah, that’s my long winded PS3 faboy Battle Cry. And I’ll admit, I’m a huge Sony fanboy, but I try to at least use some logic in my words.
Test comment. Was having problems posting
I would like to use my ebc to reply the last cry about noobs in gaming. I was really disappointed with you guys! Games shouldn’t always be about letting the absolute best one win, they have tournaments for that! I don’t think the care package in mw2 is bad, because, why should you be robbed on the full game experience just because they arn’t the best call of duty player of the world. I know im not! But I still want to be able to fly the AC130.
Plus, If rewards only go the the best player then where is the competition? Why have a tank of there are no rocket launchers to blow it up with. If everyone on the server is a potential threat then it makes victory that much sweeter
I remember when games where about having fun, and not dominating servers.
Leave the noobs alone! everyone have to start
somewhere!
Stay beautiful gents!
My BattleCry goes to SwitchGames.com. This place is almost perfect – they still have a few layout hiccups to address – for people who are trying to get rid of their games but don’t want to be scammed by GameStop and get shortchanged for what they paid $60 for just one month ago. I have personally traded over 20 of my games and several big release titles this year alone I have paid next to nothing for simply because I traded a game that I’ve grown tired of. (That’s right, no more trading in five games to get one bitches!) This is exactly the kind of competition that GameStop needs in order to show them that the prices you get for a used game or console over there will not be tolerated.
Wow, worst Arnold impressions ever. Lol :p
Day one DLC… is crap. I think you guys spoke about it before in that DLC is supposed to expand the lifespan of a game, but releasing it the day the game comes out completely voids that.
Wow Medal of Honor, it’s totally not blatantly obvious what you’re doing there… lol… so lame. Maybe at least they wont dick over people on PC.
Did anyone even like Mirrors Edge enough to warrant a sequel? Why is every 2 bit crappy game getting a sequel these days? I really don’t agree with Daniel’s comparison to Assassins Creed. AC was wildly popular, and it’s success warranted a sequel.
Game retail:
I could give a flying shit about staff or the “retail experience.” I’m not even sure what that means. Waiting in line? Dealing with fat obnoxious mouth-breather customers? Loud pushy sales reps? Getting your wallet gouged?
I bought a shit ton of games over the Thanksgiving weekend, all from Amazon or Steam. They were having insane deals, better than the brick and mortar stores, and guess what, no dealing with crowds of idiots and obnoxious salespeople. Anyone who goes to GameStop or Walmart to buy games is a completely ignorant fool.
You’re damn right GameStop isn’t fair. They give you like $5 for a used game and then turn around and sell it for $25. Meanwhile you could be buying the same game in BETTER CONDITION for LESS on Ebay or Amazon.
What kind of BS is that?
The ESRB got well-rated because it was rated by a bloated government agency that doesn’t know its head from its ass.
If the ESRB was REALLY doing a good job, I wouldn’t have to put up with 12 year olds yelling on the mic in their shrill voices in every single multiplayer game I play.
But I guess that’s the fault of the ignorant parents. The parents that if you try to criticize them get defensive and go “NOBODY CAN TELL ME HOW TO RAISE MY KIDS!”
Red Dead looks like it might be a proper remake of GUN. That is to say, GUN made better.
Kills streak airstrikes/helicopters in MW are complete BS no matter which way you look at it if you ask me.
Good show guys.
My battlecry goes out to sniper-haters (which probably constitutes 90% of gamers) and game developers. Everyone hates getting sniper-whacked from a distance in their favorite multiplayer, me included. But Snipers, like everyone else have a role to play in warfare and those that do it well dont deserve a bad rep. A good sniper will help cover your ass while you capture a flag or base, forfeiting points for himself to do so. With this in mind, isn’t it about time that game developers balanced out the Xp so that while my buddies are off ranking up every 10 minutes by blasting everyone in the face with a shotgun, perhaps I should be equally well rewarded for biding my time on that perfect headshot from across the map and covering the point-hungry twitchers. Sure you can don ur sniper kit and go running for the flag, but that kind of defeats the purpose of RANGED combat. I play across all the classes and I like a variety of pace, which is why I like being a sniper too. I just dont see why I should be punished or short-changed for it since the developers put the class in there to begin with.
Jammer-out
My BattleBry goes out to xbox game achievements in DLC content.
The new look xbox dashboard allows you to showcase games that you have spent hours racking up 100% of the achievements, but when DLC comes out, these bragging rights are stripped from you unless you shell out more cash to play through the DLC.
I find this to be totally unfair! What if I dont wanna spend an extra 10 or 15 quid for time trials on Mirrors Edge, or an unispired looking map pack!
Your 100% should be left un-affected UNLESS you choose to buy the add on DLC!
I think if retailers want to survive and thrive in the digital delivery age, they’re going to need to offer a lot more than just software and peripherals, I think they’re going to need to adapt the way many movie theaters have to offer a complete experience in “Gamer culture”. What that actually means is still up in the air, but could include things like franchise related books/graphic novels/movies/Cd’s, it could mean selling bulk cases of energy drinks and ramen noodles, it could mean attempting to define and sell “Gamer fashion”. It might even mean adding an arcade and/or restaurant/cafe. Whatever the answer turns out to be, it’s going to have to be something more than a place to buy a box and get hassled by staff trying to sell you peripherals and warranties that nobody in their right mind wants.
[...] of interest that week. Well this week I find myself with a burden of the antithetical persuasion. This week’s episode of EpicBattleCry was so chocked full of deeply interesting topics that I found myself struggling to discern which [...]
I don’t hate snipers. I personally have nothing against snipers as that’s a very very difficult role to play in games, especially ones like Modern Warfare 2 where the shakiness of the scope sight doesn’t go down when you’re laying on the ground. My hate is to CAMPERS.
People get the two confused sometimes. Sniping and camping are two different methodologies of playing. One is actively seeking enemies through either a long but narrow pathway or risk going to a more open view in a larger area to almost gather more targets. The other involves sitting in a corner and waiting for the enemy to come to you and simply spamming all you have, generally a shotgun or grenade.
Take a guess as to which is the more respectable method of play.
Thankfully some games have done things to help players counter campers.
My Battle Cry would go out to the 3 guys hitting the nail bang on the head in the 55th podcast with regards to the responsibility of parents to take an interest in what games their children are playing. I recently graduated from University with a degree in Interactive Games Design and my dissertation was on ethical boundaries in video games and Tony, Brent and Daniel were so correct in their summation that the origin of the issue with video game controversy is the inclusion of mature content when their is still this assumption that video games are for children. This comes from the fact that early games were marketed towards younger audiences and whilst those original gamers have grown up into the adult gamers of today, media perspectives haven’t. When I finished my degree, the average age of gamers in the US was 35. This is the generation that has grown up with computer games.
Hopefully the times are a’changing.
My Epic Battle Cry is. What tha happen to multiplayer in games. Im talking about playing two to four players on the same tv. You all remember how much fun Golden Eye was on the N64. We played that on a 26 or less inch tv back in the day. Now we have at least 32 just in the kids room and in the living room like 42 or even a projetorscreen. I don’t want to play all my online against my friends online via xbox live, wanna have them over now and the, we play NHL and FIFA. Yeah BUZZ and Scene it. Give me Nazi zombies with my compaders in the soffa and some drving games.
Love your vides its better then anything out there. Even Invisible walls!
My EBC goes out to places like Walmart that are even considering lowering their prices on new games. Why is it that I can shop around and find a good deal on DVDs and CDs, but I can’t with videogames? The $60 pricetag haunts me everywhere I go, and Walmart lowering their prices just might make me want to actually shop there.
My EBC goes to Daniel’s puns. They make me laugh but also cringe at the same time. Perhaps a drink of water before the podcast might help you rid of the dry jokes.
My battlecry goes out to sniper-haters and game-developers. Like most gamers I hate being whacked by a sniper, but then again I dont like a shotgun in the face either. However you get killed, lets be honest, its annoying. Snipers get a bad rep, but a good sniper will cover your ass while you’re catching a flag. He gives up all those juicy xp to help keep you alive so that you can grab them (I’ve lost count of my savior kills on Bad company). Every class has its role to play, but ranking up as a sniper is ball-achingly slow and while you COULD go catch a flag (which sometimes I do), it defeats the purpose of RANGED combat. So, game developers, why cant you impliment a system that rewards snipers as well as it does the twitch gamers? Maybe a simple code that recognises the fact that youre wearing a sniper kit, have sat still for more than 30 seconds and got a headshot from 500 yards? I play ALL classes because I like a variety in pace and style. I just dont see why I should be short-changed or bad-mouthed when I choose to be a sniper and slow my pace a little. After all, the developers DO put snipers in for a reason.
My battlecry goes out to sniper-haters and game-developers. Like most gamers I hate being whacked by a sniper, but then again I dont like a shotgun in the face either. However you get killed, lets be honest, its annoying. Snipers get a bad rep, but a good sniper will cover your ass while you’re catching a flag. He gives up all those juicy xp to help keep you alive so that you can grab them (I’ve lost count of my savior kills on Bad company). Every class has its role to play, but ranking up as a sniper is ball-achingly slow and while you COULD go catch a flag (which sometimes I do), it defeats the purpose of RANGED combat. So, game developers, why cant you impliment a system that rewards snipers as well as it does the twitch gamers? Maybe a simple code that recognises the fact that youre wearing a sniper kit, have sat still for more than 30 seconds and got a headshot from 500 yards? I play ALL classes because I like a variety in pace and style. I just dont see why I should be short-changed or bad-mouthed when I choose to be a sniper and slow my pace a little. After all he developers DO put snipers in for a reason.
Jammer – out
My Epic Battle Cry goes out to Nintendo for being the only publisher that will back triple A games that don’t have a “T” or “M” rating. I am currently 18, but I can remember when I was 12 or 13 that all the good movies that were coming out were rated R. Having responsible parents, they would not let me see this films, so I was stuck watching such cinematic disasters as Disney’s “Home on the Range” and other “shovelware”. I see the same thing happening in the video game industry today. “Hardcore Games” 9 times out of 10 are first or third person shooters. If I were a younger gamer I would feel very disappointed seeing all these games coming out that my parents wouldn’t let me play, leaving me to play any of the movie tie-in games for children. That is why I want to praise Nintendo for still putting out great games with younger gamers in mind. I understand that gaming isn’t only for children, but I think we are beginning to forget that it isn’t only for College age guys.
well, I apologise for my replicated post. Since the first one didnt appear for 2 days I thought I would try again. Just my luck for both of them to show up today. Oh well….
My EBC Goes to cool people who work at retail like myself. we sit thought all the crap waiting for that one person who knows something about the video game they are buying and is interested on my impute, which leads to more talk and exchange of PSN/XBL/Steam names. I just wish more people were like me and weren’t just working there to get the check, but actually have a love for the games like i do. I am not there to sell it to you and send you out, i am there to Talk, Listen and share. I have made Friends with my Customer service skills and i like my Job.
my battlecry goes out to Activision Or InfinityWard and the announcement that the DLC for MW2 will bring them at least $140mil and thats just the 1st set of DLC, why do they not just give us atleast 1 or 2 maps free every now and then,eg just by changing the maps from day 2 night or vice verser,this would cost them next 2nothing as its a map we have, the change tho would be like a new map, why not give us summet 4free 1st
Hey guys .. first of all great show keep it going :
My Epic Battle Cry goes to all XBOX 360 guys out there .. just to let you know I am a Playstation fanboy myself but the mistreatment these guys are going to get from Visceral Games is just too much .. I am talking about the ( Dante’s Inferno Divine Edition ) for the Playstation 3 …
You know how I see it ? .. we all know that Dante’s Inferno is a God of War clone no matter how you look at it ( Scythe for Blades – context gameplay – light attacks & heavy attacks – etc. ) with just one difference that it is a multiplatform game .. so instead of thinking that ” The Playstation guys got there GOW already so let us target the XBOX guys with this one ” .. NO .. they go like ” They already know that this is a clone so how do we get more money ? add some extras for the same price that is how ” and as for the XBOX 360 owners ” Screw ‘em .. they don’t have anything like it so they will get it no matter how it is ” and that is just mean …
You know first I was thinking of having Dante’s Inferno as an appetizer for GOW III but after I heard about the Divine Edition and the whole ” You get it just because you own a Playstation 3 and for the same price too ” .. I just won’t get it its almost like racism .. I don’t have any problem with exclusive content or even pre-orders ( most of the time ) but this one is just too much …
Hey guys .. first of all great show keep it going :
My Epic Battle Cry goes to all XBOX 360 guys out there .. just to let you know I am a Playstation fanboy myself but the mistreatment these guys are going to get from Visceral Games is just too much .. I am talking about the ( Dante’s Inferno Divine Edition ) for the Playstation 3 …
You know how I see it ? .. we all know that Dante’s Inferno is a God of War clone no matter how you look at it ( Scythe for Blades – context gameplay – light attacks & heavy attacks – etc. ) with just one difference that it is a multiplatform game .. so instead of thinking that ” The Playstation guys got there GOW already so let us target the XBOX guys with this one ” .. NO .. they go like ” They already know that this is a clone so how do we get more money ? add some extras for the same price that is how ” and as for the XBOX 360 owners ” Screw ‘em .. they don’t have anything like it so they will get it no matter how it is ” and that is just mean …
You know first I was thinking of having Dante’s Inferno as an appetizer for GOW III but after I heard about the Divine Edition and the whole ” You get it just because you own a Playstation 3 and for the same price too ” .. I just won’t get it its almost like racism .. I don’t have any problem with exclusive content or even pre-orders ( most of the time ) but this one is just too much …
My battle cry goes to SEGA for finally listening to the gamers and deciding to bring Yakuza 3 to America and Europe in March 2010. Better late than never.
My battle cry goes out to the abomination that was Spike’s live internet feed of the 2009 VGAs. This was a great concept and they dedicated all over it. 3 of the 4 cameras were completely useless, and the fourth (focused on the stage) not only couldn’t be bothered to point at the video screen for the previews/announcements/etc, but they also cut the audio during the reveals.
What a great way to take something that could have been great and turn it into a big middle finger for anyone without cable. Thanks for pissing all over my Saturday night, Spike.
Braking 69 comments, so solly.
I just wanna give a shoutout to you guys!
Tony you are the most cynical nihilist evah!
Brent The Viking, The Executioner… of the most heartwarming welcomes EVAH!
And… Daniel…
You guys just won my heart for keeps with the shoutout to Starsiege: Tribes. Loved it, owned it (and possibly you). Wanna go back in time.
Daniel! ME2 will rule!
So you guys should stop putting him down on that, cuz you are gonna look like such tards, when it launches… Yes I understand that the monkey needs to be spanked but seriously Daniel has a firm grip on this topic.
LOVE YOU
My EBC goes out to the awesome hipe we got for VGA being able to watch it live! Gametrailers made such a big deal out of it, with the backstage videos and etc…
So i waited 4 in the morning with few of my friends but we didn’t get to see shit! all we saw was Burger king add. We need a fucking apology or something. I am deeply disappointed.
Hey,
i want to sound off on something i find very important and i dont think that anybody BUT you guys would even mention this at all.
I love gaming like everybody and recognize a great game, the recent VGA was bu*** because the awards was setup to make everyone happy and not to the persons that deserved it. HOW CAN ASSASSINS CREED II win the best action/adventure over Uncharted 2 but loose on GOTY ? if it wins best action/adventure over uncharted that means it is a better game(in theory)
dont have a prob with uncharted 2 i LOVE it.. BUT this is BULL.. plus what award would fit Rocksteady studios best ? as an unknown studio coming up with a great game ? ofcourse studio of the year… this is obviously an award to please all the giants . and I HATE that
i think Uncharted deserves GOTY , BUT HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE ?
MY EBC?
forget battlecry now, i have a BIG issue to discuss that only you guys have the guts to talk about and adress
this years VGA was so rigged it had (SETUP) on its forehead. ill just cut to the chase and mention that it was all set up to please everybody that did good this years.. please the giants and please the no-good crowd.
how can you setup the best Action/Adventure game as ACII (won over Uncharted) wich by theory means uncharted wont get GOTY award because one of the nominees is better proven in the ACTION/ADVENTURE category.. BUT still Uncharted 2 won.. dont get me wrong i love the game and it REALLY deserves to get GOTY because its an awesome game, but how can this theoretically be possible ? and other signs that the VGA was all planned was that EVERY giant got an award, and whats most fitting for rocksteady as an unknown studio that is trying to make a name for itself ? studio of the year ofcourse, jack black won over drakes voice ???? CMON the dude did all the voices by himself.. and wolverine ? that was just to get him on the show and list up a bunch of somebodies..
this makes me angry for one reason. that even the gaming industry is fu**d
btw love u guys.. keep doin ur thing
My Battle cry goes out to sequels to games that had potential but came up just short. There have been quite a few games that were either slated to be great, or original but fell shot of their potential due to time constraints of poor decisions. It’s nice to know that game developers are given the chance to fix problems and respond to the fans issues. Games like Mirrors edge, Assassins Creed, and Starwars the Force Unleashed, all fell somewhere short of mastery but are getting sequels where hopefully the developers will be able to show off their true vision.
My Epic Battle Cry goes out to fellow Gamestop employees. In regard to your show last week: What you described as Gamestop employees that are passionate about games interacting with customers who are just as passionate to be an ideal gaming retail experience is something of a pipe dream. We would love nothing more than to “talk shop” about all the newest games with customers who are polite and knowledgable but this is sadly not the case. Your average Gamestop employee is a beaten-down, shell of a person who is told to get reserves yet can offer no real incentive for said reserve. Your average customer doesn’t care about quality games on current gen systems. They just want to trade in their garbage PS2 games toward more garbage PS2 games. You do have your occasional customer who wants to buy a good game, will trade in games that don’t look like they were stored in a crate of steel wool, and/or will talk with you about cool upcoming games, but these people are essentially unicorns, emerging once every few months to reaffirm your hope in the gaming community, only to have that hope dashed to pieces by the next customer who is pissed off that his copy of Madden 08 is only worth .50 cents store credit. Stay strong this holiday season, my brothers and sisters in arms.
Also, kudos to you dudes at EBC for the gratuitous use of Entombed for the pdocast. Good to know there are others out there that have just as good taste in music as they do videogames.
My battlecry goes out to major video games that continually post graphic screenshot comparisons between multiplatform games. These videos and articles are not beneficial for the gaming industry and only act to promote flamewars and fanboyism amongst each of the respective platforms. Most of the games for which these articles are made are high end AAA titles that should be granted the respect they deserve. I think the hard work and efforts of the developers is lost amongst the fanboys who spam their opinions on message boards and blogs. Great games such as Batman Arkum Asylum, Assassins Creed II, and Modern Warfare 2 are a result of hundreds of hours set forth by developers and should not overshadowed by miniscule differences in lighting and textures. These graphic comparison will not be the final nail in the coffin for gamers to decide which consoles to purchase for. Nor will it push the sale of a particular platform. The only comparison that should be done is in the cases such as Dragon Age and Fallout 3 where the platform has a direct impact on the functionality of the game.
My Epic Battle Cry goes out to the recently announced sequel to The Force Unleashed.
I must say I’m both really surprised and disappointed at the way LucasArts keeps handling their biggest franchise, Star Wars that is.
I understand that there’s huge demand for lightsabers and Force power combat. But when making an IP that’s suposed to represent what Star Wars fans will be getting for the next months/year, why not cather to the biggest general audience possible instead of making a game based on just a particular element of such a rich franchise? Why not grab all the right elements and combine them into this epic game that represents what Star Wars really is about, like the folks at Rocksteady recently did with Batman: Arkham Asylum?
The point here is: players like variety. And variety is what Star Wars offers – From epic lightsaber duels, to full scale laser wars and impressive spaceship battles, it’s got it all.
The more variety you give players with a single game, the bigger the audience will you get. This is why Force Unleashed really failed in my view: It only appeals to restricted type of audience.
I’m not saying making games directed at one part of the fans is bad, we have examples of successful games focused on smaller stuff on this universe, like Republic Commando or Bounty Hunter. The problem here is just that you’re bound to piss off the remaining part of the fans when you announce that you’re committed to a franchise that only really pleases OTT Force Power lovers.
If they did a sequel to a franchise that’s alot more wider in terms of possibilities like the Jedi Knight series or Battlefront, they open up room for alot of love from both the new fans or the oldschool fans like me. I’m little bit biased towards Jedi Knight particulary, since I grew up with it, but, honestly speaking here, it still holds up as one of the best Star Wars games to date combining alot of stuff fans in the same package: Lightsaber combat, Force powers, FPS blaster combat and even a RPGish progression on the latter games like Jedi Outcast or Jedi Academy.
Is it that much to ask?
Anyway, to close it off, I’d really like to know your opinion on this subject. I know you get alot of messages from your fans and you can’t possibly answer them all but, if you do find the time, at least email me with one paragraph saying my point sucks.
Love the show, keep it up,
Frost
My Battle Cry goes out to the Australian classification board of Australia, because today they finally release a public discussion paper about the rating of R18+ video games in Australia, no doubt due to the large number of complaints about the Banning of Aliens vs. Predator, and rebellions decision to not censor it for Australia, this is a great day in Australian gaming history because I am completely sure that the public will vote for having and R18+ rating, and Hopefully it will happen before the release of the new AvP.
(Also for those of you who haven’t played the censored version of left for dead, don’t, because it is horrible.)
Test comment, is this working?
My battlecry goes to Australian government – their regulation of video game ratings, to be precise. The fact that the video game cannot be published and sold in Australia unless it meets 15+ rating means that the government has a law that says “games are for children”.
I believe that people have the right to believe that games are for kids, as long as they are not forcing others to think so. Same goes for private shops that have the right to order and sell games with just this or that rating… But STATE POLICY that classifies games as a form of kids-only entertainment is embodiment of everything that is wrong in society when it comes to games.
Furthermore, that law is not about protecting the kids, as it encourages developers to seek for workarounds to make content that is not suitable for minors appear like it is. With the added public pressure when it comes to blockbuster hits (like COD:MW2) it leads to lawfully classifying, and therefore suggesting as suitable, adult-only content to minors.
Banning great titles also introduces customers (who want the hyped experience) to piracy. Stripping down content in order to meet the ratings makes it even worse, because those who pay for the game get worse and less complete experience compared to those who don’t.
Australia urgently needs to accept 18+ rating for games, and strong, privately funded campaign for rating consciousness should be held, in order for parents to become aware of the fact that the game may not be suitable for their kid. A new generation of parents, aware of the meaning of the rating box on game’s cover is growing up, just like a generation of parents aware that junk food and too much sugar is not good for their kids rose years ago. Laws like this are attempts of hysteric grandparents to police the way their kids are rising their grandchildren.
my ebc goes out to all game developers that understands that coop is great
i own every coop game i know of to the ps3 so that i can play them with my girlfriend.
especially to ubisoft, rainbow six vegas 2 coop with ranks, badges, banners and unlocks! best lan game ever
what do you think of the rumor that Sony may soon start charging for PSN…is it fair to do so with people you bougth ps3 for its free psn?what do you think?
what do you think of the rumor that Sony may soon start charging for PSN…is it fair to do so with people you bougth ps3 for its free psn??what do you think?
Wonderful post about “EBC Skirmish 055: Imagine Dress Making Studio”.