Speaking of Just Around the Corner....

Hey, has anyone else noticed that game companies are now being smarter about the timetable for releasing new games?

Wait....what? You haven't heard that?

Noooooo, of course you haven't. All you have heard is that a bunch of BIG GAMES have been pushed to 2010.

With that being said, the first 6 months of 2010 will be the most important 1st half of the year in gaming. Period. End of story.

Why? Well, it comes down to this. Many game publishers believe, for what reason I do not know, that you have to put out all your HUGE games in time for Christmas. This inevitably leads to madness because between October 1 and the Black Friday, there are literally hundreds of new titles hitting your local Gamestop. (Why Black Friday, very rarely are games released in December, with some few exceptions: the newest Prince of Persia, Rise of the Argonauts last year, and previously NFL Street 2 which was due out XMAS EVE! and inevitably missed that date because of snowstorms.)

Having work in the gaming retail industry, I can tell you, honestly, that it doesn't matter when a game releases. If a game is good, has enough hype behind it and knows the audience its going after, it can release in any month. Here are a few examples:

• Grant Theft Auto IV - April 2008
• UFC: Unleashed - May 2009
• Red Faction: Guerilla - June 2009
• Red Dead Revolver - May 2004
• Ghost Recon - Advanced Warfighter - March 2006
• Fight Night Round 3 - February 2006
• God of War 1 and 2 - March releases

All of these games have sold over a million copies, PROVING that you do not need to launch in the 4th quarter to have a successful game. Granted, you can argue that for some of those games, it didn't matter when they launched because people wanted it, which is exactly what I am arguing here.

So why is the 1st half of next year important? Well, these games were all scheduled for a 2009 releases but have been pushed back:

• Bioshock 2
• Splinter Cell: Conviction
• Red Steel 2
• Dark Void
• Bayonetta
• MAG

But we still have a HUGE list of games that are scheduled for a Holiday time release:

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Dragon Age
• Assassin's Creed 2
• Borderlands
• Uncharted 2
• Brutal Legend
• Halo 3: ODST

It's already crowded enough, and I'm glad they've thinned it out but I want them to say that it was because they thought they could sell more if they gave it just a little more development time and not say that they didn't want it to hit during an already crowded time (which is a crap reason). Do you ever see movies come out all at the exact same time? No, because then nobody would see them. They spread them out and their are a few dull months (Jan/Feb), but for the most part you can have a hit anytime of the year. I wish the game companies would take note of that, especially if you aren't a major publisher.

As long as Modern Warfare 2 doesn't get pushed, I'm ok.

Xbox Live Dashboard Update Just Around the Corner

Happy Thursday game fans. E3 has come and gone, but fortunately we won't have to wait much longer to get our hands on some of the new features promised for Xbox Live. August 11th is quickly approaching and the new features will help to encourage the 10 year system life cycle promised by Microsoft. Below are a list of some key features as well as some preview images.

Netflix:

• Xbox Live Gold members will now be able to sit together in a virtual theater with up to seven friends. The avatars will be able to flirt or throw popcorn at each other. I can't imagine that ever getting old (sarcasm at it's best).
  
• You can now browse the Netflix video catalogue without the use of a computer.
  
• Streaming movies will now playback much smoother when your Internet bandwidth fluctuates.
  
• More information is now displayed in the Friends channel and in the Guide revealing what your friends are up to.

Avatars:

• New clothing and props from top brands and game franchises will now be available for your pint sized virtual you. New content will of course be subject to Microsoft points.

Games on Demand:

• Xbox 360 titles will now be available for download. Game manuals will also be viewable.

Game Ratings:

• All games available in the Games Marketplace will be rateable based on a 5 star system.

Miscellaneous Additions:

• Achievements will now be easier to view via an achievements browser.
  
• A Notification will be issued when your Xbox Live subscription is about to expire.
  
• Community Games has now been renamed India Games for no apparent reason.

Unfortunately, Twitter, Facebook, Last FM and 1080p video content will not be included in this update. There's always next year.

Modern Warefare 2 Multiplayer Reveal

Prototype - The Best Worst Game I've Ever Played

I know, the title is a bit misleading. But it is true.

Somewhere inside Prototype is a good game dying to get out. The controls are excellent, the graphics are as well. The recreation of NYC is excellent, probably the best I've ever seen. But it's just missing something, something I can't put my finger on. Here's a few things that have bothered me:

• There is no gradual build up of your powers, getting used to them at first. You can get some really powerful stuff almost immediately, including the flying power.
• I'm tired of amnesiac stories. At least Infamous' amnesiac story made him only forget a small portion of what happened, but Alex Mercer can't remember a damn thing.
• It's very easy to just run around and not be spotted, even though there are "detectors" in a lot of places.
• The story is boring and the dialogue seems so stilted. Why does Alex have to go ALL THE WAY from one part of the city to the other just for a 30 second meeting with one of the other characters. Don't they have a fucking cell phone?
• The missions are extremely repetitive.

Here what was good:

• Fucking karate kicking a Helicopter. See: http://penny-arcade.com/images/2009/20090619.jpg

Please buy Infamous instead. It's much better. unless, of course, you don't have a PS3, then you're only choice for open-ended-super-human-free-roam-Summer-2009 game is Prototype. Wait until Borderlands comes out.

That is all.

Left 4 Dead 1.5!?

Hey there game fans. I'm checking in today with a bit of analysis on the highly anticipated Left 4 Dead 2. There is currently a heated debate amongst fans of the series as to whether or not the game warrants being a sequel. Many core gamers feel the game is better suited as downloadable content for the original Left 4 Dead.

Personally I feel there hasn’t been quite enough information released from Valve yet to warrant a definitive stance. However, I am currently under the impression that Left 4 Dead 2 should be a reduced price title. Now before I receive an inbox full of hate mail (who am I kidding?), let me explain.

The information and footage released thus far hasn't exactly been overwhelming. The game has not improved in the technical graphics department at all. This is hardly a debatable issue. One need only glance at recently released screenshots to come to that conclusion (see below). Furthermore, the developers from Valve, when addressing the gaming press, haven't exactly backed up their claim that this is an all new experience. Valve employee Chet Faliszek recently answered a few questions on this very topic when speaking with 1up.com. He stated the game would include new weapons, characters, locales and new infected. That's all well and good, and to be honest, that is pretty much the standard bulk of additional features included in all franchise sequels. However, Mr. Faliszek did little to elaborate on new gameplay mechanics or additional features. If I were to base my opinion solely on his comments, I would presume Left 4 Dead 2 is the exact same game as last year's offering, but with a new coat of paint. I'm sorry, but changing the game from night to day is hardly a change in gameplay. I am open to the possibility that there is much more to Left 4 Dead 2 than meets the eye. Only time will tell and the final verdict will hang in the balance until the game's release on November 17. Below you'll find some screenshots of both the original and the forthcoming sequel. Decide for yourself. Enjoy the weekend.

Left 4 Dead 2





Left 4 Dead 1

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Uncharted 2 Gets Dated and Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Footage On The Way

Hello Everyone. Thanks for checking out Gamerology: The Science of Gaming. I'm Jonathan, the other self-proclaimed gaming genius that haunts this website. I don't think I'll post my resume (ala The Marc), but rather let my rhetoric speak for itself (I'm too lazy).

In a surprising turn of events, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves receives a rather early release date. It is currently slated for an October 13th release. While I don't believe this is the title to save the PS3 from abysmal sales figures, I do believe it is going to be one of the best exclusive offerings from Sony since the console's release in 2007. Of course that is a veritable no-brainer since the original Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was a fantastic game and one that must be played by anyone with a Playstation 3. This time around, Among Thieves receives a graphical facelift (no small feat considering the stellar graphics in Drake's Fortune) and even more heart-pounding action sequences. For those of you who have yet to see the game in motion, I've included the E3 demo presented at the Sony press conference. Warning: You may need a bib to catch the drool.




I also have some news regarding a rather small indie title called Modern Warfare 2. According to Robert Bowling of Twitter.com/Fourzerotwo, filming will commence shortly for the Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer unveiling. August looks to be the promise land for Call of Duty enthusiasts.

That's all for now, but if you are suffering from summer gaming blues, be sure to check out Fight Night Round 4, Ghostbusters and Infamous. That should hold you for a while.

This Anti-Video Game Violence Shit is Starting to Get Retarded

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/741867.html

World of Warcraft....THE MOVIE?

As many of you probably know, I HATE, with a PASSION, World of Warcraft. I think it brings nothing new to the table, is a sorry excuse to suck out $15 a month from people who have nothing better to do with their lives. It's a terrible game and it also has taken away Blizzards ability to make sequels or new games since it came out. Now, I am not a fan of Starcraft either (RTS...not my forte), but 10+ years for a sequel seems pretty nuts. Diablo III is also probably going to end up being a sequel released 10+ years after the previous one.

But enough abou my ranting about the video games. Yesterday, Ain't It Cool News broke the story that the World of Warcraft movie has a director. And no, it's not Uwe Boll or that other fucker who fucked up the Resident Evil flicks (Paul W.S. Anderson), it's motherfucking Sam Raimi. That's right, the Spider-Man dude.

First off, I can tell you RIGHT NOW that this movie will suck. There's no way it can be good. No video game movie is good. Not one. Sure, maybe it'll make money, but that still doesn't make it good. Hell, look at the Fast and the Furious movies. They suck, but people eat that shit up. Some of the WORST MOVIES OF ALL TIME are video game movies, even if I don't count Uwe Boll. Well, it doesn't help that they really aren't picking games that could work as movies. Super Mario Bros.? Sure it's a huge video game, but it doesn't really have a story and it really doesn't work as a non-animated movie.

Now, for me, the first good video game movie could potentially be Prince of Persia. It's based on a game series with a very good and deep storyline, has a major star and a major director as well, in Mike Newell (who also directed Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire).

Here is a list of 5 games that could POSSIBLY work as films:

• Metal Gear (the original) or Metal Gear Solid, done VERY CAREFULLY and without the massive confusion that surrounds the Metal Gear series
  
• God of War (although, finding someone that looks like Kratos could be hard)
• Grim Fandango (retaining all the humour, of course)
• Bioshock (provided it doesn't exactly follow the game)
• Half-Life

Possibly.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Prestige Edition Unboxing

Retail on this bad boy is $149.99. Also comes with a download for the original Call of Duty with XBLA and PSN multiplayer support (although, not XBL vs PSN).

No exact numbers on how many are being produced, but NIGHT-VISION GOGGLES FTW!

What Qualifies Me as a Gaming Genius?

Well, as you all are aware, right in the headline this blog calls me one of two gaming geniuses. And you are probably thinking to yourself, "What the fuck qualifies this dude as a gaming genius?". Well, gentlemen (and ladies) I am here to give you my qualifications. So I will list them here, for all you people to see, and you can judge my qualifications. And if you don't think I'm qualified enough, well, you can go to hell.

1. I currently work at a major gaming retail outlet, and have been for over 6 years. I even was a manager of a location, but left to pursue a better opportunity, only to return to work part-time for the suhweet discount and to honestly, talk about video games.
   
2. I currently own a PSP, PS3, PS2, XBox, XBox 360 (2), Wii, DS Lite (2) and a PC.
   
3. I play almost every BIG game that comes out. I just finished Ghostbusters, and have played Fight Night Round 4, Rock Band Unplugged and UFC. Next on my list is The Bigs, NCAA Football 2009 and Batman: Arkham Asylum.
   
4. I enjoy almost every type of game except for RTS and Flight Sim games. I do, however, happen to love turn-bases strategy (think...Civilization, not Starcraft). I like RPGs, but I wish more of them were old-school, like Final Fantasy VI (the best in the series, VII is OVERRATED) or Chrono Trigger.
   
5. I have this crazy ability to name box art if you cover up the name of the game and show me just the picture. (Only current and last-gen though).
6. I am wicked good at Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Expert on Guitar/Bass, Hard on Drums/Vocals.
   
7. I am also wicked good at Call of Duty. I tend to die a lot, but my K/D ratio is still over 1.15.
   
8. I have been playing video games since 1986, when I was 2. That's 23 years of gaming experience.
   
9. I love video games. I love reading about video games. I love writing about video games. I love weird Japanese video games (but not anime or manga, yech).
   

And there you have it. Don't like it? Well, you can go somewhere else but dammit, I hold nothing back. I am not afraid to diss games that people love. In fact, here is a list of beloved games that I hate or I think are overrated:

• Goldeneye
• Final Fantasy VII
• Pokemon
• World of Warcraft
• Tekken
• Any Resident Evil before 4
• Any Legend of Zelda game that isn't Link to the Past

Let the hatred begin.