Archive for February, 2009
Editorial: Dude, Where’s My Xbox?
Feb 23rd
One of those was mine!
I’ve been using my checkbook as a wallet for the past two months. The plastic cards tend to fall out once in awhile, but it hasn’t persuaded me to buy a real wallet for whatever reason. I don’t have my college ID anymore, which helped lower the cost of matinee movie tickets. And my replacement driver’s license, well, that was lost in the mail for three weeks.
Getting robbed sucks.
On the 17th of December I woke up to go sit on the pseudo-suede futon in my girlfriend Elena and I’s tiny living room. I had hoped to be lazy like usual that morning. But instead of seeing what was on TV, I only saw television and game console-shaped outlines of dust where all of my electronics were the night before. My Wii, DS, LCD TV, Xbox 360, wallet, camera and Elena’s laptop were taken. I flipped out, yelling to her, “Everything’s gone!” Our front door was barely closed, the robbers having entered through a kitchen window they pried open. I laughed about it later, that they had enough common courtesy to try and close the door as they sped away in the snow.
Robberies happen all the time—we’re not a special case. I realize we got off a lot better than some people in that neither of us was injured or worse. But what’s it like to be robbed as a gamer? What rights do you have when your consoles are taken away? After talking to Microsoft customer service, I’d argue your rights are almost non-existent.
Review: Bejeweled 2 (iPhone)
Feb 17th
The de facto puzzle game of the Internet Age arrives on the iPhone at an unbeatable price
If you’ve surfed the Web in the last five years, I’m willing to wager you’ve also played Bejeweled. Since it first appeared as a Web-based application in 2001, Bejeweled has been downloaded more than 150 million times, according to developer PopCap. Known for its wildly popular and often brilliant casual games, such as the Pachinko-like Peggle, Bejeweled remains PopCap’s iconic flagship title. This latest iteration first arrived in a Web-based format in 2004, followed by releases on Xbox Live Arcade in 2005 and PSN in 2009. With the immense install base of the iPhone and the unparalleled accessibility of its native App Store, porting Bejeweled 2 to the phone was a no-brainer. And with the game priced at a paltry $2.99, it’s easily the best value for your money in iPhone gaming. Read the rest of this entry »
Review: The Maw (XBLA)
Feb 17th
“Eat things.”
That tagline, found on the website of The Maw developers Twisted Pixel Games, paraphrases the entire motif this downloadable action/adventure title was created on: You eat, a lot. In fact, you eat so much that by the end of the game your purple blob companion, known appropriately as Maw, has become its own planet. A heaping of charm is automatically added to a game when I don’t remember the last time a videogame protagonist ate himself to planetoid proportions.
And charm is exactly what The Maw does best. To me, it feels like playing through a lost chapter of some Pixar film that was never produced. The charisma oozes from this unassuming Live Arcade title that, honestly, I might have passed up. Its PAX 10 audience award and 2009 Independent Games Festival finalist designation illustrate that critically the game is given its fair share, but that, as always, doesn’t mean it will get noticed commercially. I hope it does and prospers, because The Maw is a more engaging title than a majority of the mainstream retail games churned out week by week.
Review: World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
Feb 17th
At this point in the game’s lifespan, a betting man would be wise to wager that you the gamer have played, or at least trialed, World of Warcraft. It’s also safe to assume that even if you’ve avoided the cyberscapes of Azeroth, you know at least one person suckling the Warcraft teat. Blizzard’s flagship title with its 11.5 million players is a testament to the staying power of this particular MMO, and the new expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, is an all-out effort on Blizzard’s part to keep it at the top.
“But Aaron,” some may inevitably ask, “why would I play the same game after it’s already been stomping on its competitors for the past four years? It’s not going to change that much.” That’s a reasonable question, for sure. They may also assume World of Warcraft is like any other MMO, with a never-ending series of expansion packs aimed primarily at the hardcore, top-tier players with enough time on their hands to complete the numerous, escalating challenges presented. This was what happened with the previous expansion, The Burning Crusade. Fortunately, Wrath is more new than it is old, and while being true to the golden formula of [1 engaging quest system + rapid combat * (mountains of loot)²] that Blizzard created with vanilla WoW and BC before it, the bottom line is, simply, Wrath is the most fun I’ve had playing an MMO in many, many years.
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Here Comes a New Challenger!
Feb 16th
It began, as is the case with all great legends, with a challenge.
It’s 1992. Two first-graders rush over to the Super Nintendo, charged with Friday afternoon enthusiasm and armed to the teeth with fruit snacks and chocolate milk. My friend’s older brother bought a new game where you can beat up on your friend. It’s called Street Fighter II, and it’s sooo awesome. Read the rest of this entry »