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VIDEO GAME FEATURES

0  Why Japanese Developers Need New IPs Part 2 Thu, Sep 2nd, 2010, 9:54 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA Last time we covered what exactly is wrong in the mainstream Japanese gaming industry. The oversaturation of RPGs, longstanding titles that change very little, and of course the terrible attempts at reaching Western consumers certainly don't help much. There's really no reason for these developers (or publishers) to be so afraid of moving their products overseas, in fact there are a lot of great reasons to do so. The market is not only ready for Japan to take the lead again, they're almost begging for it. How do I figure? Allow me to explain. More »

0  Things Older Gamers Like To Moan About Thu, Sep 2nd, 2010, 7:32 pm (EST) BY BEN GRIFFIN The gaming world has changed: videogames come on small, shiny things called CD's. A small child thousands of miles away in Korea can whip your ass at Starcraft II. Resident Evil is now considered to have bad voice acting. HD graphics have rendered the outside world obsolete. Hardcore gamers love EA and hate Activision. Yes, sir, the world has changed, and you can either nobly roll with the punches and embrace the future or sit in your favourite comfy, moth-bitten chair and bitch, bitch, bitch. These are some of the topics in gaming today that make old people feel cold and frightened. More »

0  Countdown To Halo Reach: The Story Mon, Aug 30th, 2010, 10:02 pm (EST) BY COLIN When I look back at my time spent with Halo 3, I immediately remember all of the competitive multiplayer matches with friends. Looking ahead to Halo Reach, I find myself excited for the campaign co-op experience. Why is that? There's just something about Halo's campaign mode that's addictively fun, despite its limitations. Sure there are only so many times you can run through the story mode, but while multiplayer may be what fans latch onto for months on end, the campaign has been (and will be) a massive driving force for Halo Reach's sales. Join me, as I unofficially declare this upcoming week to be 'Halo Reach Week', and take you on a journey that most PS3 fans will ignore. Perhaps this is a unique perspective, but I've never felt there to be any tension in the world of Halo unless the player was pitted against the Flood. The covenant was never a big enough threat really, you spend the greater part of three games stomping across every single thing the alien collective has on a regular basis. Playing the game as Master Chief does have that effect however, which is why I look forward to experiencing the fun as Noble Team. From the very start, they're simply more human (and therefore more realistic) than the Chief ever was.  We see them without helmets, as they prepare for battle, and we understand they each have their own personalities and preferences. They are first and foremost human beings, and depicting the Spartans as such has never really been More »

0  The Best StarCraft II Custom Maps Right Now Mon, Aug 30th, 2010, 8:01 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA Starcraft 2 has been out for about a month now and while the multiplayer is certainly fun there are times where you just want something different. Most will immediately start thinking of DotA, but as luck may have it there are a lot of very cool, very different alternative games out there. Some require a lot of players to have a good time, others only need two or three, but all of them show off an impressive display of creativity. So if you're getting tired of the typical StarCraft grind, or are just looking for something fun to do with friends, why not check out a few of these custom maps.  Guarantee they'll be worth your while. More »

6  Top Ten RPGs Of This Generation... So Far Sat, Aug 28th, 2010, 12:46 pm (EST) BY JORDAN DOUGLAS This console generation has seen a remarkable shift in what it means to be a role-playing game. Elements that have traditionally been exclusive to RPGs - such as leveling/upgrading characters and equipment, branching, non-linear plots, and collectible items - have begun to be incorporated in numerous other genres, blurring the lines between them. However, the core RPG genre remains intact, featuring a wide variety of the best Western and Eastern game designers have to offer. This is Gaming Union's top ten RPGs of this console generation (roughly 2005 to present), in alphabetical order. More »

1  Fans Unhappy With StarCraft II 1.1 Patch Fri, Aug 27th, 2010, 7:26 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA Recently addressing a lot of problems occurring in StarCraft II, Blizzard announced a few big balancing changes to the multiplayer. While the original goal was balance, many fans have taken a good look at the proposed changes for the first major patch and are finding themselves a little disappointed. It's been no secret that many professional players have left Zerg in favour of Terran due to certain balancing issues already and now it appears that the Protoss are up next on the chopping block, seemingly, for no reason at all. More »

0  5 Peripherals That Will Improve Your Game Fri, Aug 27th, 2010, 4:07 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA Sometimes just practice isn't good enough. Any good athlete will tell you that the tools you use will be just as important as the training and mentality you bring to the field. The same holds true for the gaming world and while being a natural shot or an intuitive strategist helps, having the right equipment makes all the difference in the world. So what exactly should the console/PC gamer be looking for when it comes to accessories? There's a lot, and much of it boils down on personal preference, but it's always nice to be pointed in the right direction. More »

0  Analysis: Is Medal of Honor Tasteless? Wed, Aug 25th, 2010, 11:14 pm (EST) BY JORDAN DOUGLAS Games have become an easy target for politicians and the mainstream media. The latest controversy comes as Britain's Defense Secretary Liam Fox calls for a retail ban of the "disgusting" and "tasteless" Medal of Honor reboot coming this fall, set in present day Afghanistan. Fox's complaints lie in the portrayal of the Taliban in Medal of Honor, which allows players to take control of the terrorist group versus other player-controlled US soldiers in online, competitive multiplayer. Statements such as these often come from those looking to score cheap points or get attention by attacking a medium they do not understand - the Defense Secretary seems to fit the mold rather well. During his tirade against Medal of Honor, Fox stated how "shocking" it is "that someone would think it acceptable to recreate the acts of the Taliban against British soldiers." He told the More »

0  What Expectations Should Rise From Dust? Mon, Aug 23rd, 2010, 5:26 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA It's always difficult to look at a game that really challenges modern design concepts and what qualifies as being fun. From Dust is a game that was recently shown at GamesCom 2010, and it already has me wondering how well it will sell. The concept looks fantastic, the graphics look great, and the replay value seems endless to me. But then again, that what most 'God Games' look like. In theory they sound, and sometimes even look great, but in practice things tend to fall apart. Does From Dust have the potential to be its own natural disaster? The most recent failure in creationist-gaming (in my opinion) is Spore. The game promised the idea of taking a creature from one end of evolution to another, while at the same time displaying its insignificance. In the end, the most interesting phases of the game were far too short and a large majority of the game is played in a very modern/futuristic setting. More »

0  iGame of the Week: Monster Dash Sat, Aug 21st, 2010, 10:48 pm (EST) BY JORDAN DOUGLAS Monster Dash, from Halfbrick Studios, is an addictive platformer that successfully builds on the constant forward motion concept popularized by Canabalt. Alongside the randomly generated environments and obstacles, seen in numerous other titles in this genre, are weapons that give the game an added layer of depth. It all comes together into a solid package Canabalt fans should definitely check out. More »

0  RAGE Release Date Announcement Signals Shift In Game Production Fri, Aug 20th, 2010, 6:11 pm (EST) BY JORDAN DOUGLAS id Software, the iconic team behind the Wolfenstein, Doom and Quake franchises, is currently working on their first new IP in over a decade, RAGE. The upcoming cross-genre title, largely considered a first-person shooter with driving and open world elements, was recently given a firm release date of September 13th, 2011 in North America. The announcement comes over a year prior to the planned launch, a rarity in an industry that tends to reveal launch details at the last possible second in production. id's release announcement shows a degree of consideration and planning that the larger gaming industry should work to adopt. Being able to set a firm release date well in advance indicates that id is confident in their ability to reach that target, likely meaning RAGE's development is somewhat near completion or at least far enough along to see the end in sight. It's also safe to assume that some time has been allocated for unexpected hurdles, creating a buffer zone after production is complete to avoid delays. This approach affords publishers and developers much greater stability when creating costly triple A titles, avoiding damaging delays. More »

4  Top Ten Development Studios Right Now Thu, Aug 19th, 2010, 10:43 pm (EST) BY JORDAN DOUGLAS Games have always been behind other creative mediums - such as film, music, and literature - when it comes to making consumption choices based on the team behind a product, as opposed to its franchise tag or brand. That being said, the "hardcore", enthusiast crowd has always had a deep appreciation and sense of loyalty toward the select group of studios that continually produce quality. Thankfully, that trend is slowly beginning to penetrate mainstream gaming. With that in mind, we decided to compile a list of the top development studios at the present moment - studios that generate a great deal of anticipation behind their endeavors, and are an influential force in the industry. This list is specifically directed towards individual teams, not publishers (i.e. Nintendo) or multiple teams that produce games under a common label (i.e. Ubisoft Montreal). More »

1  Why Japanese Developers Need New IP's (Part One) Wed, Aug 18th, 2010, 4:01 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA Many Japanese developers are struggling to keep up with the big numbers drawn in by western games. This isn't as much speculation, as it is fact. Outside of Nintendo, Square Enix, and Platinum Games (and a few select others), it's difficult to really pin down a developer that's been a hit overseas which Japan can directly claim. But the reasons behind these failures are not hard to identify. In fact, it can all be summed up in one pretty simple question: Where are the new IP's? More »

0  iGame of the Week: The Incident Mon, Aug 16th, 2010, 10:49 pm (EST) BY JORDAN DOUGLAS The Incident, from Big Bucket Software, is an addictive, retro jumper that tasks players with surviving against hordes of absurdly randomized objects falling from the sky. The controls are responsive and the premise is simple, making The Incident a great experience to come back to on any occasions. More »

0  BioShock: Infinite Bodes Well For The Future Of The Series Mon, Aug 16th, 2010, 5:43 pm (EST) BY JORDAN DOUGLAS After a long period of silence following their last project, Irrational Games, the team behind BioShock, have finally let the world know what they've been working on - a continuation of their critically acclaimed franchise, BioShock: Infinite. This news comes after years of rampant debate as to the identity of Irrational's next game. Everything from a new X-COM, System Shock, Thief, SWAT and Freedom Force title was considered - a new BioShock was the last thing most people were expecting. Why? Because BioShock 2 was developed by another studio, without input from Irrational's creative director, Ken Levine. Meanwhile, Levine was seemingly More »

0  Are PC Games Finally Hitting Their Stride? Mon, Aug 16th, 2010, 1:05 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA This has been a fantastic year for PC gaming. Steam has gone to Mac, StarCraft 2 hit shelves, and Civilization V is just around the corner. Whether or not PC gaming is still viable when consoles have such a firm grasp on the market is something that gamers love to debate. Some say PC gaming is the only way to go, with mods (and a mouse) making a lot of experiences unbeatable. Others go down the console route, citing less expensive platforms and more developer support as the reason to make the switch. But in recent times, things have been different. Things have definitely changed. That 'thing' is PC gaming, and its identity crisis may finally be over. I use identity crisis because for a while, no one really knew what to do with the PC. Sure it had FPS and RTS games, those experiences that were far more difficult to reproduce on console. There was the mouse and keyboard to consider, voice communication, and mod communities. But as time went on, and consoles slowly began to integrate multiplayer, voice chat, and pretty impressive graphics for a set cost, PC developers got a little confused. Gaming on a PC went from a slow trickle, to a grinding halt outside the realm of MMOs, and even then options were quite limited. Games like Crysis didn't help the situation much either, as most could hardly afford to run the game with its ideal specs at the time. More »

0  Halo: Reach's Marketing Campaign Should Be Epic Thu, Aug 12th, 2010, 7:38 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA Most huge game releases have gone hand-in-hand with some extremely expensive marketing pushes. Web advertisements, mass emails, promotional goodies flying everywhere, and of course commercials are all part of the mix. A lot of the time it's all in-game footage, with maybe a few cheeky nerd jokes tossed in there. But Bungie has always done something different, for which they'll always be remembered. Looking back at Halo 3's Believe campaign, it's not hard to wonder why the franchise has such a strong following. It was staggering, beautifully crafted, and leagues beyond the typical gaming advertisements that had come before it. Knowing that, the follow up to Believe was 'We Are ODST', and knowing that Halo: Reach will be the final game in the series (at least for the time being), it can only be expected that this final game will have with it an amazing send off. Much like the Superbowl, I'm almost more excited for the ads than I am for the game itself, which says a lot about how effective these commercials are. Almost everyone I know, gamer or otherwise is familiar with them one way or another. It's this kind of detail that makes their commercials a joy to watch, though not in the Old Spice sense. More of an independent film that you wished would really happen. More »

0  Capcom: The King of Fighters Wed, Aug 11th, 2010, 8:37 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA Capcom is, at the moment, the dominant force in the fighting game industry. There's no sense in denying it, regardless of what style of fighter you may prefer. From their popular Versus series of games (Marvel vs Capcom, Tatsunoko vs Capcom), to their original IPs such as Street Fighter, they're successfully holding a lead that most other developers would die for. But is their position really that hard to reach? Is there a secret formula to Capcom's success that no other developer can copy? Not really, it just takes a little bit of time and listening to a few of your fans to ensure a spot as number one. Though there are many aspects in the fighting genre that are shared across all games, few have done more to assist the multiplayer community like Capcom has. They've set a high bar, an industry standard, but they shouldn't have been the first to do it. Tournament modes, solid netcode, and a few fan-requested updates are all that's really required to turn a 'great' game into an 'awesome' game. Yet despite these pretty basic concepts, other developers continue to mess things up. Leaving out fan favourite characters, or making their games launch with poor online-playability is embarrassing, and makes room for your competition to claim the glory. More »

0  Madden 11 Pre-Launch: Top Five Series Milestones Mon, Aug 9th, 2010, 9:35 pm (EST) BY JORDAN DOUGLAS In gaming, August goes hand-in-hand with the arrival of a new Madden game. It's the time of year that signals the upcoming end of a typically long summer drought in major retail releases. Madden 11 is upon us. To mark the occasion, we decided to chronicle some of the biggest milestones throughout Madden's storied past. A lot has come and gone since 1988's John Madden Football (EA's football debut) on the Apple II - competitors, consoles and misguided additions alike. EA has had its share of successes, as well as some failures over the years - such as the quarterback vision mechanic, Madden IQ test and player weapons. We'll focus on what truly advanced the franchise and has stood the test of time. More »

0  iGame of the Week: Mr. Bounce Sat, Aug 7th, 2010, 5:50 pm (EST) BY JORDAN DOUGLAS Mr. Bounce, made by Pixelate and Spaces of Play, is a unique ball-and-paddle arcade game, similar in concept to Arkanoid. Mr. Bounce expands on the classic formula by introducing a slow motion feature, as well as multiple moving objects and obstacles. The crisp, neon visuals and electronica soundtrack also make the game stand out. More »