Posts tagged Bayonetta
Backlog: Return of the Back(log) Edition
Jun 20th
Once again, we have returned from a brief hiatus to discuss what in the world of video games has been on our mind and taking up our time. It’s been a little while so we’ve had plenty of time to get some games in during the early summer — Nick and Tyler both have thoughts on InFamous, Aaron’s now one of us, and Doug’s catching up with two of 2010′s best action games. Nick also weighs in with what is easily one of the most bizarre recommendations we’ve ever made.
Anyways, without further ado (do do), TO THE BACKLOOOOOOG!
The Backlog: No Need for a Memorial edition
May 30th
We honestly can't remember what Snake is memorializing here, but the old soldier sure is rocking an appropriately solemn mustache
Don’t call it a comeback? We’ve been through down periods before, and we’ve come back stronger before, but this one feels good. We’ve got a four-man strong Backlog that is incredibly lengthy (helped along by Tyler’s mini-article about RPGs) and features as disparate things as L.A. Noire, Fallout 3, Chrono Trigger, LAN parties, Doug’s sports games, Bayonetta, and more.
There are also more promises to write again, so please be on the lookout online, on Twitter, on Facebook, in RSS feeds and via smoke signals to see when we’re publishing great articles once again. So, without further ado, TO THE BACKLOG!
The Backlog: Civil War Edition
Dec 3rd
Image by friend of the site Brian Gundell
I don’t care who you are, if you’re an Oregonian, this is a weekend you care about. It’s Civil War weekend, and as proud (if a bit underemployed) alumni of the University of Oregon, all three of us have a side to take in the game. Good luck getting much done in Portland tomorrow between noon and 4 pm, and god speed to anyone driving south on I-5 from Portland who isn’t going to the game. I don’t think it hurts us to take an excessively pro-Ducks stance, so here goes:
LET’S GO DUCKS!
We do have the usual Backlog content to go with the heaping of school pride, though. Nick’s been stabbin’ fools in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, Doug’s tackling some single-player games passed over during the year, and Aaron has been finding a balance between work, games, and the Wasteland.
Review: Bayonetta (Xbox 360)
May 3rd
What, exactly, is going on in Bayonetta?
That question has weighed heavily on me throughout the last few months, from the moment I launched the game to the present day, where I find myself in the middle of my third playthrough. And, frankly, that question is a big part of why this review has taken weeks to write.
While I’m still not convinced I’ve distilled the core theme or purpose of Bayonetta, I am confident it can be defined in just a few ways:
- Bayonetta is a stylish, fast-paced action game
- Bayonetta is a dynamic, fluid and intricate combat game
- Bayonetta is a hypersexualized and exploitative commentary on the role of women in games
If you’re considering buying a copy, it’s my firm belief that almost anybody is guaranteed dozens of hours of great entertainment with Bayonetta. Although it might simply look like a prettied-up rehash of a modern character-action game like Devil May Cry or God of War, a few minutes with a controller in hand will prove otherwise. Like Guitar Hero and Wii Sports, it’s the sort of experience where the main appeal rests in the actual, tactile feeling the game evokes; it’s one of those things that can’t be described, but you know it when you experience it. In this case, the player is treated to a surprisingly natural and empowering sense of control over the protagonist that steadily grows in complexity and escalates in lunacy throughout the game’s dozen-plus levels. It’s a wild ride that’s simultaneously brilliant and befuddling, and it’s required literature for anyone with a taste for adrenaline.
The Backlog: Killer Bs edition
Feb 19th
Lots of good things start with the letter “b”; Many games right now, for instance (Battlefield and Bayonetta being two of them). Other things start with that letter — like business school, bad tests, The Beatles…and also brains.
Wait, brains? It will make more sense in a moment! So, without further ado, here’s the log.
The Backlog: (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bayonetta edition
Feb 12th
Why am I so conflicted over BioShock 2? The original was great, brilliant even. And if 2K Marin’s sequel is half as good as the first, that would still make it better than all of the dust-collecting shovelware currently sitting on store shelves.
Nick doesn’t seem as wracked with indecision this week as yours truly, and I fully believe it when he predicts BioShock 2 will soon find a spot in his vast library of interactive software. However, Nick doesn’t know that upon purchasing the game he will be obligated to review it. Sorry, friend.
Doug takes this edition’s opportunity to educate us on the intricate differences between Pro Evo Soccer 2010 and FIFA 10, and it’s an extremely informative primer about a segment of gaming I’ve all but forgotten. I actually want to give soccer sims another shot after reading it. Truly, I do.
And for me, well, I’m in love with Bayonetta — the game, mind you. Though with her strength-based sex appeal and quotes such as: “Do I look like I’m a child person? Making children, on the other hand,” it’s easy to swoon over the ridiculous charm of the character and to even feel all right about it; hopefully without coming off as a chauvinist.
Also, apologies for the article headline. An Otis Redding track pack is coming to Rock Band next week, and I thought the titular pun was appropriately humorous. I was likely wrong.
The Backlog: Winter Blues edition
Jan 15th
Is it the holidays again yet? And we thought last week was a struggle; if last week was like wiping sleep from your eye, this week is how you feel before you’re fully awake in the morning. Hand me my coffee and the newspaper, please, I’m still groggy from the holiday break. As Doug and Nick see their free time chopped away by returning to the grind (but still get some gaming in!), Aaron provides some detailed impressions after finally digging into one of the holiday season’s biggest releases.
Without further ado, onto the Backlog…
The Backlog: Back to the Grind edition
Jan 8th
Well, it was fun while it lasted.
With December and its myriad holidays out of the way, everybody’s got something to keep them busy. Doug’s back to work on his master’s program, Aaron has transformed into a job-applying machine, and I’ve thankfully found a job once again. Unfortunately, that means we all have a whole lot less time to be playing games, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to turn a blind eye to our sacred obligation to Silicon Sasquatch. Don’t worry! We’ve got a couple great articles that are almost ready for publication, and we’re anticipating a full run of content next week.
In the meantime, here’s what we’ve been keeping ourselves busy with.
2010: The Year We Make Contact…and subsequently go broke
Dec 8th
Well, would you look at that — another podcast! And this one’s blessedly much shorter than the previous, meaning you get plenty of on-topic discussion and analysis without having to meander through dozens of games and several months of backlogged news to cover.
This podcast picks up where the last one left off, with the gang discussing the myriad top-tier releases of the first quarter of 2010. A near-complete list of titles is available after the jump for your perusal.
As always, thanks for listening, and let us know what you think!
(P.S. Wanna receive our latest podcasts automatically? Subscribe with iTunes here!)