E3 Sony Press Conference Impressions

The part of Sony’s press conference that seemed to garner the most “gasps” out of the audience was when it was announced that a God of War game for the PS3 is in development. It was really just an announcement, so we will have to follow the story as it develops for more information.

Sony’s press conference didn’t have that “jam-packed” feeling that Microsoft’s did, as they spent a little bit more time on each of the games and didn’t present as many. They definitely had a few that looked great though, including Resistance 2 for PS3, Resistance Retribution for PSP, and Little Big Planet for PS3.

Little Big Planet was one of the most exciting games presented at E3. Offering the player the best opportunity to unleash their creativity that I’ve seen yet (including building their own unique levels from a very extensive collection of detailed objects) and a very unique art style, this game struck me as a must for all PS3 owners. You can play through the storyline the developers created, but making your own levels and sharing them with friends is where the game is really likely to shine. The game is due out in September.

It’s great to see Sony giving us games for the PSP that are completely different than the offerings on the DS and allowing us two completely different gameplay experiences. Personally, I’m partial to the PSP. Resistance Retribution will be another great example that will really push the graphics and gameplay capabilities of the PSP to give us an experience as realistic as possible for a handheld. A must for PSP owners who enjoy shooters, coming next Spring.

Resistance 2 for the PS3 was another highlight of E3, and with this game the fight will be taken to the United States this November. 60 player skirmishes will be available this time, and they’ve uped the ante on the graphics. Bosses will also be bigger and badder.

A blaring omission from the press conference was a release date for Home. Hopefully it’s still coming in 2008…?

E3 Impressions: Activision and Konami Press Events

Sorry for not posting these sooner. My Internet Service Provider was having technical difficulties yesterday and I couldn’t get online.

I’ll start with Konami, who will be giving us Silent Hill: Homecoming this fall for Xbox360 and PS3. I’ve been eagerly awaiting the next installment in this gloriously deranged and creepy series, and this edition looks like it could very well be even better than the others. The camera and controls are greatly improved, favorite enemies will be making return appearances, and new enemies look amazing. This will definitely be one game to look forward to this fall. Another reason I was interested in the Konami press event was that I wanted to hear more about Rock Revolution, a music-based game featuring a band experience that has gotten little coverage in the gaming press and has really stayed in the shadow of the Rock Band and Guitar Hero series’. So, I thought, surely Konami, the publisher responsible for the game, will shed a lot of light on it and tell us why we need to buy this music game in addition to or instead of the big boys. Well, they really dropped the ball on this one. To present the game, first they had an indie band perform a cover version of a Ramones song, on real instruments, not on the game controllers. (Relevance???) Then the song was repeated on the game’s drum kit and guitar (or are they even unique to the game? Guitar sure looked like a Guitar Hero III guitar to me). The drum kit was set on the stage back facing the audience and camera, so we really couldn’t see what they looked like. No one sang, and from what I’ve read in previews, singing is not a feature of the game (even though the same folks gave us Karaoke Revolution: American Idol???). No one spoke about the instrument controllers, or playlist of music. (Although, I read in a preview ALL of the songs are covers). They did announce that the game would be featured on Linkin Park’s concert tour. So as far as the Rock Revolution presentation goes: the bad news is Konami really had nothing good to say about the game or why we should buy it. The good news is, we won’t have to worry about where we’re going to get the money for it after we shell out for Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero World Tour, and we also won’t have to worry about storage for a 3rd drum kit.

The most enticing parts of the Activision event involved Call of Duty World at War and Guitar Hero World Tour. The next installment of the Call of Duty series looks great, will feature online or split screen co-op, and will feature the voice acting of Keifer Sutherland (woo-hoo!). Now we know what he’s been up to while 24 was on hiatus this year due to the writers’ strike. I’ll have to admit, what I did hear of him didn’t exactly sound like he stretched the limits of his acting ability, and it was admitedly a little ho-hum. But it was just a clip from the gameplay, and I think it’s still awesome that they’ve got him on the game. One more thing about Call of Duty World at War is that this time around the game will still take place during World War II, but it will be in the Pacific theater this time with different locations and enemies. I was concerned when I heard Treyarch was taking us back to World War II after InfinityWard gave us modern warfare, but it’s a relief to at least know we won’t be fighting the Nazis again in Europe again. That has been so overdone in games and it wouldn’t break my heart one bit if I never saw another game like it again. As for Guitar Hero World Tour, we already know quite a lot about the game, but I was no less excited hearing about it again. The music “studio” or creator looks complicated but also like it could be a lot of fun if you’re willing to put in the time to make sense of it, especially since you can create ANY genre of music with it. There are samples from all kinds of genres available on it. The drum kit looks fantastic, with 2 raised cymbals and more “bouncy” drum pads, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. The guitar had some new features that looked like a little too much to me and overly complex, but maybe I’ll change my mind and find out it’s not as daunting as it looks when I try it out. No complete playlist has been announced, but they did announce that Metallica’s new album will be available for download, in it’s entirety, on the same day it releases is record stores. Also that there will be a pack of R.E.M. tracks available for download before the album even hits store shelves. This is exciting, and an indication that more of the music industry is recognizing the advantage of making their music, including their new music, available in games. Maybe it will lead to us seeing more great bands in the future who were previously nonexistent in music games. I also wanted to quickly note that a new James Bond game is coming out, Quantum of Solace, to coincide with the release of the movie this fall. It looked pretty good, and is at least worth looking for more press on in the future. I wouldn’t call it a “must play” at this point, maybe a “must watch”.

So to wrap things up both the Activision and Konami press conferences were mixed bags, each with some good and some bad. More good on the Activision front, although they definitely had a couple of real duds on there also, in particular the new Spider Man game that was painful to watch it looked so unpolished.

Breath of Fire III and Mega Man Legends for the PSP: Canceled

I was extremely disappointed to find out this morning that two of my favorite games on the original Playstation that were in production as PSP remakes have been CANCELED: Breath of Fire III and Mega Man Legends. I have very fond memories of playing these games, especially Breath of Fire III, and I was really excited about these releases. What a great idea it was for them to release these greats again. Lately, I’ve really been enjoying a remake of another Playstation classic: Final Fantasy Tactics and realizing that playing a great game again years later can be even better than the original experience. But, alas, we won’t get that opportunity with these other two worthy games. Meanwhile, we’ve got a real dry spell coming up the rest of this year for the PSP, unless there are some earth shattering announcements at E3. The PSP REALLY needs more games, especially more good games – so the fact that these cancellations occurred is completely baffling. Whoever made the decision needs to be slapped upside the head. I would sure like to see another development studio pick up these projects and complete them PLEASE! That’s probably what it’s going to take for them to ever get finished. The PSP needs more good games, they don’t need to be cancelling projects like these with so much potential.

And by the way, we need a remake of Tactics Ogre from Atlus on the PSP too!

Rock Band 2 Announced

It’s official; Rock Band 2 has been announced as a September release on the Xbox360 in the United States. Other platforms and regions may get the game later on. The official press release is posted on the official website:

http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59332

I am thrilled to find out that all of the download content from Rock Band 1 will be playable with Rock Band 2.  I had been concerned that once the new game came out I’d have to start over. This is very exciting news and I may be even more inclined now to buy more of the downloads, knowing they will have so much more replay value than I at first imagined. In interviews late last year it was said a new Rock Band game would probably not be released again in 2008. I’m glad that is no longer the plan; a lot of improvements are in store – to the software and the hardware (NO BROKEN GUITARS THIS TIME PLEASE, EA!!!). When Rock Band originally came out I was squeamish about the price tag for the bundle. At the time, I had no idea I’d still be playing the game regularly 8 months later and getting fresh content weekly. I know better this time – the amount of time you can get out of a game like Rock Band (one, two, or any other) is worth more in gameplay time and fun than several other games combined. No price has been released yet, and that doesn’t change my mind. So enjoy the good news. If this makes you more inclined to buy some more download tracks, my thoughts on the downloads released up until now is below in yesterday’s post!

One more thing… they aren’t releasing any names of tracks or artists yet, but for the record I’d like to beg for:

“I Don’t Care” and “I’m Not Jesus” by Apocalyptica

“Munich” and “Bones” by The Editors

Hotel California by The Eagles

Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand

Dashboard by Modest Mouse

Gone Away by The Offspring

More Les Wampas

One final note about Rock Band and Rock Band 2. The fog and lights kit, which will be compatible with both games, is being released next month. It’s a splurge, but talk about giving yourself the Rock Star treatment! With everything going on Rock Band is starting to look more like an experience than a “game”.

Rock Band Download Content: Keepin’ It Fresh

After the unfulfilled promises of monthly download content during Guitar Hero II days, I was highly skeptical that Rock Band would be able to deliver new download content every single week. And if anyone would’ve said there would still be weekly content 8 months later I would have laughed hysterically. Yet here we are, over 8 months later, and Rock Band is still pumping out new content every single week without fail. I think it may be a good idea to start reviewing the content, since I have a habit of being hasty about plunking down the points, and I can warn people about the duds and alert them to the winners.

I actually have a lot of thoughts about Rock Band’s download content. I think I’m a lot more open minded about music, thanks to the downloads. Obscure bands I knew nothing about have given me endless pleasure on the game, and music I never thought I could like has also managed to grow on me. I no longer scoff at the less well known bands – some of the best tracks on the game have come from bands I never heard of before. I’m glad I gave them a chance – it’s tough to make a judgement call whether to spend your hard earned money or not based on such a short clip. I sometimes visit iTunes to see if I can hear a longer or different clip, which sometimes helps.  But I have to say, the majority of the time I am at least “satisfied” with the tracks, and often I am thrilled with them.

I am disappointed that there aren’t more players online that have a lot of the download content. This is what keeps this game fresh and new, even 8 months after release. A lot of us who bought the game at launch don’t want to keep playing the same disc songs over and over again; the variety is what keeps us coming back! So if you haven’t checked out the download content do us, and more importantly yourself, a favor and check it out! There are a ridiculous number of songs available now.

There’s so many downloads that, at least for now, I don’t have any plans of going back and reviewing all of it. From now on mid-week I’ll comment on the new stuff, starting with this week’s downloads. I will follow that up with a general update of what’s come out so far:

Downloads for July 1, 2008:

“Down At the Whiskey”, Motley Crue. This is a decent track definitely worth picking up with it’s budget (80 point) price tag. It’s the same old familiar Motley Crue sound that those who were teenagers or a little older will get some nostalgic pleasure out of. It doesn’t especially stand out within the Motley Crue library but certainly is enjoyable enough to justify this price point, especially if you have fond memories of good times associated with the band.

“Time Is Running Out”, Papa Roach. What were they thinking? I expected a lot better from a band like Papa Roach. I didn’t hesitate to pick this one up, because of the good tracks by Papa Roach I was familiar with, but this one does not live up to the quality they’ve given us before. Very mundane, but if you’re a Rock Band Track collector like I am that craves variety then it might be worth the half-price cost.

“Who’s Going Home With You Tonight”, Trapt. This one is okay… thankfully this one is half price too. Take it or leave it. Nothing makes it stand out, in a good way or bad.

“Promised Land”, Vesuvius. The only reason I recommend downloading this is because it’s FREE, and in my opinion not worth a penny more. May be worth the hard drive space, barely. Sounds like a lame re-hash of typical 80’s pop rock of the forgettable variety.

As for an update of what’s out already:

Tracks you’ve GOT TO GET!:

“The Kill” by 30 Seconds to Mars. In my opinion, the best track on the whole game. Fun to play, with just the right level of challenge, and immensely satisfying to hear. This brilliantly written song really stands out in the pack as original, heartfelt, and captivating. You may be familiar with the singer, Jared Leto, through his career as an actor and director. The guy isn’t just a musician; he’s an artist who is brimming with creativity. DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!

“Afterlife” by Avenged Sevenfold. These guys really know their stuff. You can even hear the classical influence in this track (which was also the case with their track on Guitar Hero II). A beautiful melody with the hard edge most Rock Band devotees crave. This track is exceptional; BUY IT NOW!

“Hammerhead” by The Offspring. This blood pumping adrenaline rush is pure ear candy. The lyrics may not be as hilarious as some of their other tracks (HINT please give us more Offspring!!), the song is fast, fun, and well written. You gotta get it.

“A Clean Shot” by The Myriad. An obscure MTV2 pack track from a band I’ve never heard of in my life, this has become one of my favorites. And it was half price! Addictive melody keeps me coming back to it. One of the biggest surprises. The Myriad suddenly has my attention.

“Monsoon” by Tokio Hotel. It won’t be for everyone – it’s mellow and soothing, like a grownup lullaby. If you need your tracks hard ‘n heavy this may not be for you, but it’s a great track to relax and enjoy. Another band I never heard of before is definitely on my radar now.

“Manu Chao” by Les Wampas. Again, not for everyone. But if you have an open mind about the foreign language lyrics this song is a real treat. Les Wampas entertain with the upbeat and amusing, catchy song that will stick with you long after you turn the game off. I went to iTunes and downloaded the entire album because of this song. I was not disappointed – with this song or the rest of the album. This is one of my absolute favorites on the game. Les Wampas have fun with their songs, and considering you’re playing a game, you should too… so get this track!

“Move Along” by the All-American Rejects. There’s nothing I would want to reject about this song. An absolute blast to sing especially, but great for everyone to play. A stroke of genius gave birth to this catchy and addictive track.

“Hard to Handle” by the Black Crowes. The fast lyrics and all over the place pitch on this track make it an insanely fun challenge for the singer, and crazy, lively fun for a band. This is one of the new classics.

All the songs by Boston, Stone Temple Pilots, and Oasis. All of these bands are consistently reliable to give us some of the best music on the market, and the songs included with Rock Band are no exception. Anyone would be very, very hard pressed not to know and love all of these tracks.

Now for the songs to AVOID! Save your hard earned money and don’t buy these turds!:

“Promised Land” by Vesuvius. I reviewed this above; it came out this week. The ONLY redeeming quality about this song is that it’s free. I’ll let you decide whether it’s worth your hard drive space or not…

All three songs on the “Earache Thrash Pack”. Unless you’re into self-loathing and a gluton for punishment take a pass on all of these tracks. If you refuse to take my advice and buy them anyway, then I hope you have a full supply of asprin in your medicine cabinet for the throbbing headache you’re going to have. In my opinion, this is just NOISE.

“Super Sprode” by Freezepop. I was really disappointed with this one, because I really like the other two Freezepop tracks on the game as well as the one from Guitar Hero II. But they really passed the ball on this one. “Throw your undies on the stage… no wait… you’re underage” the lyrics chirp. Personally I recommend throwing rotten tomatoes, regardless of your age. Silly songs can be fun, but this crosses the line into so silly it’s stupid. PASS.

“Hanging on the Telephone” by Blondie. “Call Me” is fun for it’s nostalgic value, and a good song to boot. After hearing “Hanging on the Telephone” it became abundantly clear to me why I remembered Blondie’s other track from the game and not this one: it sucks.

That’s it. Of course there’s more great tracks and more lousy ones, but I just wanted to highlight the best and the worst in my opinion – otherwise I could keep typing all day. I took into consideration the gameplay as well as the sound of the song, but in my mind the way the song sounds is more important. I think that’s why most people play Rock Band – for the love of music – and any great, great song is going to be fun to play. The button pushing is secondary. This is also why Rock Band is one of the few games that’s almost as fun for the observer as the player, and why it’s great for parties, even if you’re not one of the lucky four to have an instrument in your hand. The music is what it’s all about.

Check back mid-week for another installment of my Rock Band download content reviews, and consider checking out my recommendations!

 

My computer is back from the dead

For those wondering why I haven’t written a post in so long, the reason is that a lightening surge blew up my computer. Took out the power supply, hard drive, motherboard and CPU. It cost a small fortune to fix. I have not been able to get back on here until today.

I apologize for the delay and thank you greatly for your patience, everyone who has stuck around. I’ll be back with regular posts A.S.A.P. Today, however, I have hours upon hours of re-installation times for my games. The MMOs I suspect will take a ridiculous amount of time. I’m going to try and get most of that done today and be back with you tommorow.

Don’t trust surge-protecting power strips. Apparently, they “wear out” and lose their ability to protect without warning, and may not protect your high end PC anyway. If you have a backup battery with surge protector specifically designed for computers, not only will it be a more reliable way of protecting from surge, but if it can’t the battery will act as the “fall guy” and blow up instead of your valuable computer components. And by the way, even if there appears to be no lightening in your area, you could still be at risk. At least all this is what I was told by the shop that fixed my pc. I had to learn my lesson the hard way; don’t let it happen to you!

New and improved!

Just a quick post to announce the new and improved Gaming Goddess’ Guide to Life blog. I believe I’ve finally found a template I’m satisfied with, at least for now (I really wasn’t happy with the others). I also have added pictures to many of the blog posts that were already on here. I will continue to use pictures from here on out.

I’ll have another full post soon. I have reviewed Bully: Scholarship Edition for the Wii for TheGameReviews.com, and that review is one of the things I hope to have posted on here soon. Hope you enjoy the new and improved blog!

Intro to February

First of the month, and I have so much I want to cover. My goal is for daily posts, so I can cover all of the valuable insight and information I want to pass on.

Some of the stuff I want to cover this month include: highlights of the month in gaming for February, a few game reviews, a review of King of Kong: a Fistful of Quarters on DVD, my thoughts about the new season of LOST, my thoughts about the M-rated content in videogames debate, a review of the graphic novel “The Killer”, and maybe a rant or two about the format wars, EA customer service, or NBC abandoning iTunes. And so much more.

The gaming drought of Dec/Jan is officially over. Hope you got caught up; I didn’t. If only I could get my priorities straight and quit working for a living and just play games non-stop and catch up! Too bad there’s that unpleasant little matter of money… This year is shaping up to be a lot more active release-wise than last year, in even months that were dead slow last year like February. I’m going to need to pick up the pace if I’m going to keep up. Lost Odyssey apparently includes even more discs than Blue Dragon – I’m wondering how many birthdays are going to pass before I finish that one. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I love to get my money’s worth with a good long game. It’s just getting harder to juggle all the great games that are coming out these days. I need to figure out how to cut way back on sleep so I have more time…

One of the games I’m really looking forward to is the DS version of Assassin’s Creed, “Altair’s Chronicles”, due out Feb. 6. The story is different from the console version, and the events take place before those we have already experienced. And I do mean experienced. Assassin’s Creed was one of those rare gems of a game that look so crisp and perfect that you feel you are right there, in the flesh. I’m really looking forward to the new story. I’m also really looking forward to two 360 games in particular: LOST, based on the tv show, and Condemned 2, the sequel to the survival horror fear-fest that came out on the day the console launched. Although a lot of games based on tv or movies don’t turn out well, I believe LOST the game could give us something worthy of the show. With Ubisoft in charge, I have confidence. The writers from the show are also involved, which is a real boon. As for Condemned, the original had some of the most disturbing (in a good way) scenes I’ve ever seen in a video game, and I found myself gasping and jumping out of my seat more than once. The new installment is supposed to be even more gory, frightening, and demented. Yay!

I’ll post more about these games and the other games I try out this month later on.

Welcome!

Seeing as its 2008, it’s high time I made a blog all about my favorite things, because let’s face it, that’s the stuff that really matters! I want to talk about gaming, more gaming, and more gaming. And for good measure, I’d like to talk a little bit about tech gadgets, comics, sports, movies and tv, gambling, and anything else that strikes my fancy. I hope to put plenty of game reviews on here. If you’re into cool stuff and proud to be a gamer geek like I am, you’ve definitely come to the right place.