I kinda got carried away with Photoshop this week. You see, Rico Rodriguez, the protagonist from the Just Cause games, is chaotically belly-flopping into a child’s sandbox, which serves a visual metaphor for the open-world adventures he stars in. Hence the headline.

With that out of the way, I can tell you this edition of our beloved (by some — maybe our mothers) Backlog pertains to Nick’s first aural experiencing of Axis: Bold as Love, Doug’s dusting off of the old Xbox after his adventures in Asia and my unbelieving satisfaction from playing a ton of Just Cause 2.

Imagine the sound of high-performance machines vying for 1st place while looking at this photo

Doug:

And I thought returning to classes after winter break was hard. Adjusting to being at home in the United States, versus being in various hotels around Asia, has taken some doing — never mind doing it while returning to graduate school classes AND trying to fight jet lag.

I’ve taken a bit of refuge in gaming to relieve stress, and because I hadn’t fired up my Xbox 360 in a month! I spent a little bit of time finding Pocari Sweat and JR East logos on the storefront for my cars in Forza 3, driving around Shinjuku and Shibuya in Project Gotham Racing 4 and worked on my second Mass Effect 2 playthrough for a short time as well.

What took more free time, though, was PES 2010 — I’m fully re-addicted to Konami’s soccer games, and it feels good. Along with that, I spent time on Tuesday playing a bit of Rock Band 2 for the first time in a while. Nick reminded me that a Jimi Hendrix Experience album, Axis: Bold as Love, was being released for the game last week; I haven’t been following RB2′s DLC schedule as much as I had in years past, and haven’t been as excited for new songs since the middle of last summer. It felt really good to hop on, get an invite from Nick to rock, and get some play time in. I’d been thinking about hosting a Rock Band 2 party at some point this spring; that’s definitely going to happen now. (Editor’s note: I’m totally going to be there!)

Artist's interpretation of Hendrix enjoying his music in Rock Band

Nick:

With Final Fantasy XIII and all its broken promises having been returned to the shelf, I’m back to actually having fun with the games I play — fancy that!

My love affair with Just Cause 2 (or, as my girlfriend derisively calls it, “Lost Cause”) continues to burn passionately. It’s just a big, stupid game with more than a few clever ideas and a heart of gold, and I can’t recommend it enough to anyone with an appetite for destruction and a flair for open-ended game mechanics.

In order to make up for the hours of excruciating voice acting and mindless violence that dominate my Just Cause 2 playtime, I’ve been spending a good amount of time playing New Super Mario Bros. Wii co-operatively. Now that we’ve finally beaten the game (which, by the way, featured the most difficult Bowser fight in any Mario game I can think of) we’ve begun the exhausting task of hunting down every single star coin in order to tackle the stages in World 9. It’s a real credit to Nintendo’s ingenuity that I’m still avidly playing a Mario game months after its release.

But the best surprise this week was the latest batch of Rock Band songs, including the entire Jimi Hendrix album Axis: Bold as Love. I’ll be honest — I never knew much about Jimi Hendrix’s music. Other than a handful of songs like “Fire,” “Hey Joe” and his cover of Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower,” the closest I ever got to Hendrix was the time I broke the rules and touched his guitar on display at the Experience Music Project. (Please don’t sue me, Mr. Allen.) I’ve found that playing songs in Rock Band is often one of the best ways to gain an appreciation for an artist, and Axis didn’t disappoint. Doug and I both grabbed the album and played through the vast majority of it, and it hooked me immediately. It’s the rare song collection that speaks for itself, and it’s an infinitely replayable addition to any Rock Band collection — or MP3 library, for that matter. Definitely don’t pass this one up.

Rico does his best flying squirrel impression high above the waters of Panau

Aaron:

I’m a dabbler in the realm of videogames. I dabble. It’s good to keep things varied, in my humble opinion. For example, this week my gaming time has been split between four vastly different games: Final Fantasy XIII, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Pokémon HeartGold and Just Cause 2. The former two games have been discussed at length in previous Backlogs, so I’ll talk about the newcomers.

Pokémon means a lot to me, as far as games go. When Red and Blue first released here in the U.S. in 1998 I was 12, and highly impressionable. My friends and I watched the cartoon, played the games and collected the cards. With the onset of puberty we became a bit more reserved in our enjoyment of the merchandising, but the games continued to hold a lofty place — in my mind at least. The enjoyment of an extremely simple goal, to catch them all, has stayed with me throughout the years, and it’s forced me to buy almost all of the various new games in an attempt to recapture the mystique and newness experienced through the original games. From Gold and Silver to Diamond and Pearl, I’ve bought at least one of the subsequent games, and each time I slip back into the catch-crazed mindset I first felt 12 years ago. The recent release of HeartGold has brought those feelings to the surface again for a sixth time, but each time I arrive in the world of pocket monsters on a quest to defeat a new set of gym leaders, thwart the evil machinations of another group of criminals and capture one more unique cover-photo Pokémon, the thrill of it all diminishes a little bit more. Economics 101 wasn’t lying when it told me all about the law of diminishing returns, though it would probably be unhappy with how I’m using the concept as a metaphor for my wavering commitment to a child’s videogame series.

I love HeartGold (and I prefer Ho-Oh to Lugia [yes, I know their names still]), and though it may be a rehash of a game from 2000, it’s still a rehash of a great game from 2000. The new/old batch of poké-creatures are second only to the original 150 (or 151, depending on which kid in the GameStop you ask) in their design factor. Chikorita, I can assure you, is bad ass. If you fancy yourself even the most fair-weather of Pokémon fans, you should pick up HeartGold or SoulSilver. It’s still great fun, but I can’t help feeling less and less impressed with the formula as the years go by. Maybe it’s time to go all Pepsi on us and try something new, o’ great minds at the Pokémon Company.

Onto the topic of Just Cause 2. Are you readers prepared to read a heaping pile of praise? You should get ready to, right now. All set? Okay.

Just Cause 2 is, as of this writing, my new favorite game of 2010. Forget Mass Effect 2, disregard Final Fantasy XIII, ignore Bayonetta and scoff at God of War III — Just Cause 2 is my kind of game, and I’ll tell you why.

A lot of videogames work hard to fill-in the blanks of your imagination and answer the questions you might have by the time the credits slide down the screen. Developers don’t always intend to make gamers confused by ignoring this one iota of information here or that plot point there; sometimes it simply happens throughout the development process and gamers are left to figure things out themselves on fan fiction sites and hardcore forums in an effort to tie together all of the threads dangling in front of them. So while I’m enthralled by the history and culture of Mass Effect’s universe, and appreciate the great lengths BioWare has gone to cover all of their creation’s bases, I don’t necessarily want the story to be told for me. On occasion I enjoy imagining a narrative and plot structure by myself — personal motivations for my character to do whatever he or she is doing at that point in time.

Left 4 Dead and its sequel are good examples of that self-created narrative because the series’ mythos is so vaguely explained. You’re allowed to decide exactly what type of shady life Nick (the character, not the legal assistant) lead before he was dragged into the zombie apocalypse, or why Bill has what looks like stains of SpaghettiOs on his shirt. The gamer answers the questions of his own accord, and that design strategy pleases me greatly. Which brings me to Just Cause 2, and how it encourages my mind to run wild with imaginative motivations for blowing up helicopters, swimming to an island in the middle of the water and enjoying the beautifully rendered sunrise atop the highest peak in Panau.

Call me a dreamer — or some dude who thinks too hard about his games — but 90 percent of the fun I’ve had in Just Cause 2 has been in exploring the gorgeous landscape of Panau and putting myself into the game — doing what I’d do if I had that much freedom to romp across a series of island paradises as I pleased (and with no possible need for traveler’s checks). I’m not playing as the protagonist Rico on his quest to assassinate a despotic president; the main plot is paper-thin and far too easy to disregard. I’ve instead removed any of the preexisting narrative and simply traversed the 400 square miles of land, sea and air to seek out my own exciting preoccupations.

I wonder how long it would take to grappling-hook climb that mountain? Let’s test it out. Hey, maybe that desolate, unpaved road goes somewhere cool. Nice — I found an ancient native temple with weapon upgrade parts. There’s an entire digital country to explore, and everything I’ve seen in Panau during the past 20 hours (I work fast: I just got it on Wednesday) has kept me wanting to see more. And in all that time, I’ve only completed two of the main missions.

Now, all of this virtual wanderlust wouldn’t be enjoyable if the core mechanics failed to work right, but thankfully Avalanche Studios has made a top-tier game that controls, sounds, looks and performs far above average. Just Cause 2 is exactly why I play games: to explore new and different worlds on my own terms. I of course enjoy the story-heavy linear experience when it’s well done (i.e., BioShock 2, Prince of Persia and Batman: Arkham Asylum), but ever since I played Grand Theft Auto III, and EverQuest shortly thereafter, in 2001, the games that taste sweetest to me are of the sandbox variety. Let me do what I want, and I’ll have a great time.

If Rockstar can hurry up with Red Dead Redemption, 2010 will become one highlight of a year for my sort of games.

The Holidays approach. For some that means quality time with family members not seen for a year — maybe more. Others, well…can I get a “what what” if at some point during your life you hid away in the midst of celebrations to finish Earthbound (or, insert other game reference here). However, my adult years have made me more personable when it comes to the holidays; I’m now infinitely more interested in the going-ons of my kin.

Still, I won’t lie that this year I’d prefer to mow down more of Left 4 Dead 2′s cajunized zombies with a giant plate of delicious turkey and fixins on my lap. I’m thankful for me.

We’re back on track for backlogs, and this week is mega-sized to make up for our absence. To summarize: Nick informs us he essentially played everything ever released this month, Doug gushes about his beloved Forza 3 between study sessions, and I write about why two wonderful November-born titles should be played on the PC.

Do the Mario!

Nick:

Life served up a particularly hellish week for me, so it was fortunate that I had a slew of excellent games to escape with.

I spent a few fantastic hours in New Super Mario Bros. Wii in its fantastic cooperative/competitive mode earlier this week. What Jerry Holkins said about this game’s debilitating effects on a relationship is true, to a point; while we were able to help each other out for the most part, there were times where my attempts to “take the lead” or “get us through this tough spot” often led to one or both of us being killed, prompting my girlfriend to say some things about me that are rarely included in the same sentences used to talk about a Mario game. But it was all in good fun — something this game has in ample supply. It’s Mario in his best form ever, and anyone who grew up playing these games should purchase it without hesitation.

This week also brought another sequel to a game I adored: Assassin’s Creed 2. Transporting the game to Renaissance Italy is perhaps the most significant shift in story and setting that I’ve seen in a franchise in quite some time, and Ubisoft Montreal deserves some commendation for crafting an incredible sequel to an already ambitious debut title. There’s so much I could say about how things were improved — combat, economy, actions and consequences, exploration, story — but I’ll lay it out like this instead. If you loved Assassin’s Creed, you’ll love Assassin’s Creed 2. And if you hated the original? You’ll probably love Assassin’s Creed 2 anyway.

Having completed all five campaigns in Left 4 Dead 2, I’m happy to pronounce myself an official fan of the series. Although I bought the first game and had my fair share of fun with it, I always felt a little uneasy playing it. And it wasn’t because of the game’s tension, or horror-film veneer, or anything like that; it was just that the game sent a constant message that your survival was entirely at the game director’s mercy. In the sequel, the tone has changed significantly for the better. If Left 4 Dead was Valve’s attempt to make an interactive zombie movie like Dawn of the Dead, Left 4 Dead 2 is Valve making a balls-out Zombieland-style game. Melee weapons encourage close combat, lending a sense of strength and confidence to the survivors that was sorely missing from the first. All four of the characters in the sequel have stronger personalities than the first game’s survivors, and their determination on getting to New Orleans to be rescued encourages the player to keep slogging it out through hell and high water. It’s one of the most improved sequels of the year, without a doubt.

And when you consider that Left 4 Dead 2 was developed in just one year, it’s disappointing that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 didn’t shape up to be more substantial. To be fair, Infinity Ward’s last game, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, not only reinvented the series — it raised the bar significantly for what an online multiplayer experience can be. I sank a “mere” 40 hours into COD4′s multiplayer mode, which pales in comparison to most of the people on my friends list. Multiplayer in Modern Warfare 2 is technically just as good as COD4′s, but after a solid six hours online in a variety of modes I’m struggling to stay interested. The mantra in developing this sequel seems to have been “more options in every aspect of play,” which is a good thing, but the core sensation of Call of Duty 4 has dulled for me. I was hoping lightning would strike twice, and I suppose it did, but I was hoping for a more risky and adventurous update to multiplayer — not a mere iteration. If I wanted that, I’d have bought last year’s Call of Duty: World at War. If there is one area that received a substantial improvement, though, it’s the single player. Rather than attempt to keep things within the bounds of reality, Infinity Ward opted to create an over-the-top global conflict that was flawlessly paced from start to finish. It’s ludicrous, but it’s so, so much fun. At about six hours to complete, it’s shorter than COD4′s — but considering how tedious replaying that game’s campaign was for me, I’m much happier with the new game’s approach.

I’m still slogging through Dragon Age: Origins with my city elf rogue. Steam says I’ve played for quite a long time, but I’m only at about 15% completion. Maybe it’s because I love reading every entry in the admirably written codex, or because I can’t help but talk to every NPC, but I’m getting an astronomically entertaining experience for my money with this game. I’m really struggling to fathom just how Mass Effect 2 could top the quality of this experience once it hits in January.

I also sank a few rounds in with the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 beta. I’d been hoping for a return to the glory days of Battlefield 2, and instead what I got was Bad Company with a moderate graphical upgrade; it’s good, but there are better options available. Looks like I’ll still be holding out for Battlefield 3 after all.

Doug sums up his feelings on this picture with an articulate "WEEEEEEE!"

Doug:

While I’ve been way too busy finishing up the majority of my grad school quarter, I’ve still found time to play a little bit of…erm…Forza Motorsport 3. And nothing else.

But it’s so good! I still love pretty much everything about it, even if I haven’t been able to play online with my friends at all. The rewind button is a godsend — it erases single-player frustration with the ease of control-z functionality. The selection of cars and tuning options are superb; I’ve made an old-school Volkswagen Rabbit into a fire-breathing, turbocharged four-wheel-drive monster that could eat a Ferrari for lunch and spit out its bones.

It’s been said that Microsoft and Turn 10 gets things right in the third iteration, and this particular game is a great example of that. It’s almost strange to think that all three Forza Motosport games have been released since Sony and Polyphony released Gran Turismo 4 on the PlayStation 2. It’s scary to think how much Forza has moved ahead certain aspects of console racing games.

Along with Forza, I’ve tried out a few of the Xbox Live improvements from this week’s update — namely the implementation of Facebook and Twitter. And that’s really the extent of my interaction; they’re there, they work just as advertised, but I feel like I’m kind of missing the point. It’s nice to have both services everywhere at all times, but until a real killer use for either blooms on the 360 they’re going to feel like tacked-on additions.

I don't think James Brown had this in mind when he wanted to take us to "the bridge."

Aaron:

Let’s get down to it. Left 4 Dead 2 and Dragon Age: Origins are two amazing games that deserve to be played on the PC only.

Now, I love consoles. This isn’t a fanboy thing. And I fully understand that not everyone has a modern computer capable of playing the latest releases — Boot Camp Macs included. So, let’s assume you’re a lucky gamer who has the following: a home console of the PS3 or Xbox 360 variety, and a gaming PC. Let’s also assume you enjoy co-op zombie shooting and in-depth fantasy RPGs. You’re excited about the aforementioned titles, but you’re hesitant to commit to a particular platform. Here’s the answer: Play those games on the PC, or you’re not getting your money’s worth.

That may be a blatantly ignorant statement to some, but these words come from a person who, before this month, more or less abandoned PC gaming over the past year (aside from Dawn of War II and Left 4 Dead 1). PCs get the short end of the doomsday stick these days. People say the PC as a gaming device is dead, no one makes money off of the games anymore, and pirating is ruining developers left and right. Controversies aren’t helping the perception of PC gamers amongst the general gaming populace either. So that’s why I’m glad to see Electronic Arts promoting the platform with a definitive version Dragon Age, and Valve doing their thing by releasing such a quality computer title as L4D2.

Dragon Age works best on PC because of the following: the overall better performance (higher frame rate, less glitching, faster loading), a more sensible control/camera mechanic, and a BioWare community toolset that paves the way for future user mods. If Neverwinter Nights is an example to go by, expect years of free, quality content flowing from the collective mind of an invested fan base.

Now, Left 4 Dead 2 deserves to be experienced on the PC because it’s a Valve title first, console port second — plain and simple. The Steam service is consistent in its ability to match like minded players and bring friends together promptly. PC gamers are spoiled when it comes to online play. Thanks, dedicated servers.

I’d also wager the community on Steam is better than Xbox Live’s. Actually, it is better. Left 4 Dead 2 even has a section specifically for add-ons, and it’s exciting to think of the campaigns an active community will create using the sequel’s assets. The original’s user-made maps were generally great, so expect a longer lifespan if you pick up L4D2 on the PC.

Oh, and PC versions are cheaper than their console counterparts. That’s a plus.

How’s everybody? Are we all still here?

There’s no way around it: We’re all a little light in the pocketbooks, and October’s only just arrived. None of us were prepared for some of the year’s biggest hits to hit us in a deluge throughout August and September, but with games like Batman: Arkham Asylum, The Beatles: Rock Band and Halo 3: ODST hitting shelves before the fourth quarter of the year, it’s hard to hold fast with one’s spending — even with surefire hits like Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Brütal Legend arriving just next week.

To prepare for the next volley of big-name releases, the Silicon Sasquatch team has been busy wrapping up some recent blockbusters.

By diverging from the tried-and-true formula of its predecessors, Halo 3: ODST delivers a refreshing experience with memorable characters — arguably a first for the franchise.

Aaron:

A lot of games found their way into my PC and Xbox 360′s disc drives this week, but let me highlight which one left a lasting impression on me: Halo 3: ODST.

I’ll be the first to confess that I’ve purchased every console iteration of the series, from Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo Wars. This type of customer devotion doesn’t stem from blind fanboy love or “Xbot” ignorance; honestly, when it comes down to it I think Halo is solidly decent at best, boring and uninspired at worst. I more or less have purchased the various games to play with friends online, and to not miss out on the experience. So why would I purchase ODST when the other games have generally made me say “lol meh” more times than a thread on NeoGAF? Two words: price point.

I procured a copy for around $44 dollars through Amazon, as was mentioned in last week’s backlog. This particular entry price forced me to give the series another shot, and while the cheapness certainly eased the process of reaching for my credit card, I never expected to like the game more than “kinda.” But even four chapters in, this is the best Halo-branded title I’ve ever played.

It might look the same and feel the same, but the tone and story are much more humanized than the faceless, stalwart Master Chief’s adventures ever were. The ODSTs are soldiers you can care about thanks to wonderful voice acting and animations. Halo 3: ODST may be born of the Halo pedigree, but it’s an overall smarter experience that stands apart from the shadow of its big brother. If this is the direction the series takes in lieu of a direct sequel, Bungie deserves a hefty pat on the over shield.

Sit back and let the evening go!

Doug:

So I finally rented The Beatles: Rock Band. I know it seems like forever since it was released, but it was just a month — the gaming industry just moves quickly, and things become passé within a week.

The rental was completely worth it. I blitzed through the story mode in just under four hours — I wanted that “Day Tripper” achievement and dammit, I got it — but it was an absolutely amazing experience from start to finish. Without encroaching too much on what a review of the game would be (check back next week! — Ed.), I think it was the most complete guitar/band game I’ve played so far, with excellent note charts, songs, and aesthetic throughout. I’m going to own this game, and it’s just a matter of “when,” not “if.”

Otherwise I’ve continued to put time in on EA Sports’ two football video games, NCAA Football 10 and Madden NFL 10. I’ve noticed a difference between defense in the two; namely, that in NCAA it’s just a nice suggestion, but in Madden it can be truly effective. Playing with an average to mediocre defense in NCAA is a battle of futility — many times, especially with strong offensive teams, you’re just trying to slow the opponent down instead of truly stop them. I get that same sensation playing against the CPU as well.

Compared to Madden, though, it’s almost 100% different. Defense in Madden is worth playing — and it seems somehow fairer than defenses in NCAA. Sure, the CPU might go into banzai EA Sports rubber-band mode and decide you are just NOT winning a game in both titles, but in Madden it feels like your defense at least has the chance to do that, too. Not to mention that, much like in the real NFL, there’s a much higher chance of forcing a punt than in college football.

I’ve also been inspired by Eat-Sleep-Game.com‘s RebelFM Game Club, which is currently focusing on Half-Life 2 and its two extra episodes. I’ve started Half-Life 2 before but never completed it, never mind the episodes, and I’m getting the trigger finger itch again…so I might have to sit down with my copy of The Orange Box soon and give it another go.

Bustin' like it's 1991.

Nick:

Call it devotion, obsession or foolishness, but I’m planning on picking up two brand-new games next Tuesday: Brütal Legend and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. That means I’ve only got three more days to tie up any loose ends with the games I’ve picked up over the last few months, because games like Borderlands, Modern Warfare 2 and New Super Mario Bros. Wii are just a few weeks away.

I wrapped up a few games this week:

1. Red Faction: Guerilla‘s single-player expansion, Demons of the Badlands: If this summer’s taught me anything, it’s that any excuse to demolish buildings on Mars is a worthwhile reason. Unfortunately, Demons’ biggest fault is its pricing: $10 for a measly two hours of more of the same.
2. Ghostbusters: The Video Game – I know it’s weird, but I only just saw Ghostbusters for the first time this summer. Even without sharing in the rest of my generation’s adoration for the movies, I found there was plenty to love in this carefully crafted videogame adaptation. Despite only lasting four or five hours, it’s well worth the price of a rental.
3. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts – Don’t be fooled by the game’s vehicle-driven gameplay: This is Rare at its finest. Focusing on its trademark wry humor and a very well-designed vehicle construction system, Nuts and Bolts is one of the most criminally overlooked hits on the Xbox 360.

Somewhat ironically, Animal House was filmed at the U of O…but you all likely know that by now

First of all: Congratulations recent college graduates. Welcome to a world full of (seemingly unavailable) opportunities!

I’m sorry, that was harsh.

Still, the University of Oregon’s ceremony for the geography and anthropology departments had a wonderfully apocalyptic keynote speaker telling everyone the skills they earned during four years of tuition-giving are for jobs not yet created, and that there are no guarantees of gainful employment right now — but good luck anyway! I laughed for my graduating friend.

As far as Silicon Sasquatch goes we’re back on track this week with our lovely Daily Recaps, and we’ll actually get around to posting additional content over the next few days.

Doug’s preparing a wonderful beginner’s guide to sports games, which is something I’ve always wanted to read considering my inability to get into the genre. I’ll be working on a review for Saints Row 2 and I can’t say enough good things about it from the in-depth customization to the spraying of public property with fecal matter.

Also, look for our impressions of the recently released Overlord II demo; as far as I can tell, controlling a horde of gremlin-sounding demons with a penchant for clubbing baby seals results in guilt-laden hilarity.

Monday’s news = 1UP posts some hefty Project Natal rumors, Verizon steps onto GameTap’s turf and Shigeru Miyamoto really wants to help you win at gaming.

Unfortunately, that's not a trick of perspective. Natal is, right now at least, pretty big.

Microsoft’s Natal hardware, demoed famously at E3 two weeks ago, is kind of the current poster child of gamedom. Sure, E3 2009 had a lot of fantastic announcements from all sorts of developers, publishers and console makers, but the media bees are certainly buzzing about the capabilities of the company’s proprietary Xbox 360 camera.

Now 1UP has confidently posted significant (if proved to be true) rumors about Project Natal, believing that the camera is actually part of a “new” Xbox console package to be launched in the fall of 2010. However, as the post states, don’t think of it as the Xbox 720, but more of what happened between the GameCube and Wii transition: similar hardware that can play the last generation’s games while offering new ones with different control schemes and slightly better graphics. Something tells me this new Xbox will cost a bit more than the Wii’s meager $250 asking price.

I’ve read a lot of postulations about Natal recently, but 1UP is really going all out here. The idea isn’t extremely far fetched, but one would have to question Microsoft’s methodology of extending the 360′s life cycle — which we know the company wants to do. Why continue to carve the gaming population into accessory-laden segments? Oh yeah: cash money.

It’s bad enough with overpriced hard drives, and it was worse when there used to be Core, Pro and Elite models. If Microsoft does introduce a redesigned 360 to bundle with Natal, the price has to be competitive and the package can’t alienate current 360 owners by offering too many upgrades to then negate the older model. Of course the company can do whatever it wants, but the backlash from gamers could be tremendous.

Verizon seems to be everywhere, but you can't say the same for their downloadable game service; not yet at least

Apparently Verizon craves a slice of the deliciously profitable pie that is downloadable PC gaming, à la GameTap.

Joystiq has a story up unveiling that the telecommunications giant will soon be introducing a test program in New York, Rhode Island and Massachusetts to offer over 1,400 PC games for a $9.99 per month subscription fee. The games can be played online, likely through Verizon’s own software, or can be downloaded directly to the computer. I’m sure users can expect some form of DRM considering the format.

Now that one big telecoms company is on the bandwagon, who’ll be next?

An image from Nintendo's patent for "demo play," originally referred to in the document as the Kind Code

It’s been mentioned for a while, but now the truth finally comes out: Nintendo will be introducing a new feature in New Super Mario Bros. Wii that can finish difficult parts of the game for you. Shigeru Miyamoto seems to be spearheading this innovation, currently referred to as “demo play.” The famed designer wants to attract people who give up on games after failing during trying portions of a title.

I truly support the idea, but it took a few minutes of deep pondering to come to that conclusion.

It’s not that I’m worried “demo play” could take away from the experience of overcoming adversities — after all, if someone wants to pay full price for a game to watch it be played, that’s their own decision — it’s that I initially assumed this feature might turn games into a boring spectator sport where friends rent and “beat” a title on autopilot just to say they did. I’m already not a fan of videogames adopting cinematic cliché­ after cinematic cliché, so the idea of literally watching a game like a movie sounded off-putting.

However, I think “demo play” is a promising development for gaming as a whole. How many times have you or someone you know quit a game due to frustration? Maybe the option just being there will bring the more timid and inexperienced toward gaming, and as such the act will become even more socially acceptable.

Sure, the so-called hardcore can use this as flak to say you’re not getting the most out of a difficult game if you let the computer do it for you, but I’ve always been more concerned with the experience of videogames and not high scores or bragging rights. A game’s story, presentation, art style, music and a multitude of other things matter way more than if it’s hard or easy enough. Even with achievements I only try to get the most points in games I care about and love, not solely just to have a bigger gamerscore than someone else.