afrika on ps3

One of the major issues I take with game reviewers online is that sometimes it seems like they judge all games against the standards of the most fun, most mainstream, most popular game to have come out recently rather than fairly judging a game against its own standards. If a game sets out to entertain you for hours with bloody and crazy first-person shooter fun, then judge it to that standard. If it instead sets out to teach you something, or help you lose weight, or make you relax or think, these are the standards it should be judged against! In particular I am seeing this happen with a new Playstation 3 game called Afrika. Afrika seems pretty much like a realistic safari version of Pokemon Snap - you cruise around the African plains as a professional photographer shooting prize-winning photos of African species on the Serengeti. This game is suffering from the fate of a wide disparity between critics' scores and user scores, and I think the problem is the one I outlined above. Of course if you are a huge fan of Halo 3: ODST and you compare Afrika to that you will probably think it is boring! I haven't tried Afrika yet so I guess it could totally suck but I just can't believe that it deserves IGN's score of a 3.5 "Bad". Lucky for me I still get my GameStop privilege of "signing out" a game for a few days like a free rental - I think this game is the perfect candidate as, well, it's just not a good time to be spending $50 on a glorified Pokemon Snap!

Anyone out there tried Afrika yet? What did you think?

xbox live or playstation network?

With last month's console price drops for both the Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360, the debate of which system to go with rages on. The PS3's new claims of "It only does everything" are, well, kinda true. At the same time, the Xbox offers a highly populated online gaming community that the PS3 hasn't really developed as well (yet anyway). For a price of course. This article goes into both sides of the next-gen console debate in a lot of depth, including the differences in the online services as well as the hardware advantages to both systems. So if you're considering taking the plunge to buying a new $299 gaming system, check out this article for the lowdown on both options.

Xbox Live or Playstation Network, the Facts

has uncharted 2 made all other games obsolete?

Personally, I don't think so. But apparently some people do, as the follow-up to one of the best PS3 games, Uncharted, has set new precedents for awesomeness in gaming after its release last week. Uncharted 2 brings the badass-ness in its action-adventure elements, its environmental puzzles, its totally awesome graphics/animation, its well-acted and professionally-voiced characters, and, well, a lot of other supercool aspects of the game. Plus it has an addictively challenging and fun multiplayer mode, adding more substance to the Playstation Network's online community. So I can understand why some people feel that Uncharted 2's developer Naughty Dog has brought the gaming industry to a standstill when it comes to innovative and new gaming territory.

GamesOnSmash: How Naughty Dog Killed the Gaming Industry...

uncharted 2 is awesome

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves came out for the Playstation 3 this week and it is really living up to the glowing reviews it's been receiving for weeks now. The graphics are truly beautiful and the game moves along quickly with slick controls and an engrossing plot. The sequel to one of the Playstation 3's best exclusive titles, Uncharted 2 brings the action suspense in a way that few games achieve. The pacing gets your heart going and sometimes the timing is so close that you can't believe you made it through whatever adrenaline-inducing scenario the game has thrown at you. The character acting is great and the voicing is well done. All in all, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a great new title out for anyone with a PS3. Definitely worth trading in some boring old games to pick this one up!

katamari forever review

I love love LOVE the Katamari series so it's no surprise that I am having a blast playing the latest release in the franchise, Katamari Forever on the Playstation 3. The game hit stores this Tuesday and I personally think it is a great followup to the Xbox 360 game Beautiful Katamari. If you've played the series before then picking up Katamari Forever is totally simple and intuitive, and if you've never tried rolling the katamari before, it's easy to get into it quickly. The gameplay mechanics are more of the same rolling and bouncing but now with an added "Prince hop" using the six-axis PS3 controls. There are also two new bonus items that can be found in most levels that give you fleeting magnetic power, sucking all available objects nearby right to your katamari. The music is the familiar J-Pop-y sound from the other games and while I do love it for the most part, I did worry about going insane a few times after my tenth or eleventh try through some of the longer, more challenging levels. The animation is one of the real high points of this new game: first, it is rendered in full 1080p so if you've got the HD setup already then it is gorgeous to behold. The game also has a cell-shaded "hand-drawn" look to it that makes it distinct from Beautiful Katamari, and there are also different filters you can apply to change the way each level is animated, which I think is a great customization option. There are some levels that will be familiar to you if you've played Beautiful Katamari but the challenges are new and there are also many new and innovative levels and challenges. The plot of the game is just as weird as ever and now includes two series of short movies that occur after beating certain levels. The wacky dialogue paired with Namco-Bandai translation makes for one hell of a weird gaming experience but I am totally smitten. If you've got a PS3, pick this game up for sure - it's even $10 less than most PS3 titles!

250 GB xbox 360 and PS3 bundles on the horizon

Once the dust has cleared after the recent price drops on the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3 there will be more new bundles arriving on the market than ever, including a reported 250 GB hard drive Xbox 360 that will be released with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for $400, the previous price of the 120 GB Elite. While many gamers buy into the idea that bigger is always going to be better and more space is better than less, some feel that the systems are cheapening what they offer as far as performance and hardware by simply adding more storage space and charging more. This is an interesting argument and it's totally possible that such measures are desperate attempts to keep up with the ever-changing desires of today's gamers. Our systems are a 20 GB 360 and an 80 GB PS3 and while the PS3 does require installing a lot of data, we still have plenty of space although we don't really download much or store music on either system. What will be truly ridiculous will be when the next next generation of game systems is defined in terms of terabyte hard drives. Most likely the PSN and Xbox Live will have seriously kicked into gear with offering more stuff to download by then.

The 250 GB Xbox 360 is a mistake, and it's one that the PS3 should avoid making

dissidia final fantasy

I have played a Final Fantasy game here and there and was never drawn into it but there is no denying that it is one of the most popular and lasting video game franchises out there and arguably has one of the most loyal fan bases when it comes to buying new franchise titles upon release. So of course it is no wonder that Square Enix's latest release Dissidia Final Fantasy, a fighting game featuring only Final Fantasy characters from across the franchise's history, is proving to be a popular seller to FF fans. Whether it will sell to anyone not already engrossed in the franchise is another story, but hey, there's also a limited edition silver PSP bundle! Dissidia Final Fantasy is getting solidly good reviews and is just one of many big fighter-game releases over the next year.

console price drops abound

Hot on the heels of Sony's announcement of the new PS3 Slim model priced at $299 with a 120 GB hard drive, Microsoft has made its official announcement regarding its own video game console price drops this month. The $299 Pro system, equipped with a 60 GB hard drive, will be dropped to $249 and subsequently phased out while the $399 120 GB Elite system will be reduced to $299. The no-frills Arcade system will remain at $199. Also, there are no plans for a competing Xbox 360 Slim model in response to Sony's slimmer console, according to Aaron Greenberg, the Director of Product Marketing for Xbox 360 and XBLA. So, if you've ever considered taking the plunge into console ownership, now might be the time since for $299 you can have your pick of the 360 or PS3, both with a monster 120 GB drive.

Microsoft confirms price cut, denies "Xbox 360 Slim" rumors

xbox 360: epic fail!

The new issue of Game Informer includes a feature article profiling the sales and durability numbers of the hardware consoles from the three major game companies. The magazine conducted a survey asking gamers to report incidents of hardware failure, quality of customer service received, and instances of repeat purchases of the same console. The results were not so good for Microsoft, whose Xbox 360 console is now in the spotlight for highest rate of failure, fewest customers satisfied with service, and most repeat purchases compared to the Sony PS3 and the Nintendo Wii. The report also indicated that on average a 360 took about a month turnaround to be repaired whereas the Sony and Nintendo consoles trended more towards a week. I have been lucky (knock on wood) to not have suffered a Red Ring of Death but have often theorized that this hardware failure is responsible for Microsoft's gleefully high hardware sales numbers, and this study seems to be implying the same thing. The 360 may have some good game titles going for it but its dependability and customer service are sorely lacking. Still, only 3.8% of respondents said a hardware failure would make them not buy another 360, so until Xbox gamers learn to value their hard-earned money and stop wasting it with Microsoft, the company really has little motivation to alter what has proved to be a crazy successful business model of shoddy manufacturing and guaranteed repeat purchases.

playstation 3 slim announced!

It's been grinding in the rumor mill for some time now but today the official announcement came that a PS3 Slim model will be hitting store shelves this September. For some reason Kmart was the first source ("accidentally") to announce the arrival of the $299 PS3 Slim and is listing it as a presale due ou September 1st. The new Playstation 3 SKU will come with a 120 GB hard drive; existing PS3 products will likely be seeing a companion price drop in the very near future as there will be little reason to buy the 80GB "bulky" version for the same price as this new slimline model. Personally I am happy to keep my backwards-compatible bigger machine but for anyone who hasn't invested in a Playstation 3 yet, this certainly makes it an easier prospect when it comes to finding physical space for it. The one we have is a beast!

johnny cash's guitar hero debut

One of the next big music games due out this year is Guitar Hero 5, which launches in just a few weeks on September 1st, and this latest installment of the Guitar Hero series will feature Johnny Cash an a playable celebrity character! The game will also include Cash's song Ring of Fire as well as Man In Black, which will be an unlockable track to play. There are so many new music games coming out this year that it is tough to keep track of them all.

Guitar Hero 5: Johnny Cash's Video Game Debut

siren: blood curse on psn

We downloaded an awesome game from the Playstation Network this weekend called Siren: Blood Curse and have been really loving it so far. Siren: Blood Curse is a Playstation 3 game based on the PS2 title Siren and its sequel Forbidden Siren 2. For U.S. consumption the game is packaged in 12 episodes that can be bought and downloaded individually or as a whole. The game plays almost like an interactive movie as you control several characters exploring and fighting ghost-like bad guys called “shibito”. The graphics are lifelike and beautiful to look at and the music and ambient noise is creepy and haunting. One interesting gameplay aspect is Sight-Jacking Mode, in which your character can take on the perspective of other characters and also of the shibito, letting you anticipate their actions with more inside knowledge. If you’re a PS3 owner and a fan of survival horror, especially with a Japanese flair, Siren: Blood Curse is definitely a must-have.

lemmings on the psn!

I was thinking the other day how much I used to like the old (ooooold) Lemmings game on the PC. You know, assigning miners, bashers, floaters and sometimes even martyrs for the good of the many, getting those little green-haired dudes through their gate to safety? What an awesome game. Simplistic and rooted in gameplay while being at times infuriatingly challenging... good times. I found an online emulated version of the original game which was a lot of fun, and then came across Lemmings for download on the Playstation Network for just $6! So, if like me you have fond memories of doing your best to bring your guys to safety, check out Lemmings for download on the PSN.

beautiful katamari

I mentioned previously that I picked up Beautiful Katamari, the Xbox360 title from the Katamari series originally on the Playstation and now I have become addicted to this strange and wonderful game! If you've never played before, a katamari is a ball that can roll stuff up into it. Any stuff, and lots of it. Why roll stuff up, you may ask? Because the King hit a wicked tennis lob and it tore a hole in the cosmos and created a black hole, and now you as the tiny Prince need to replace all the planets with new stars made from katamaris and ultimately plug up the black hole. Weird, yes, very Japanese, absolutely, but this game has truly warmed my heart. It is adorable, funny, kooky and really addicting, and actually pretty challenging compared to a lot of similarly simplistic puzzle games like it. The game is simple to beat but has a lot of collection achievements and it is pretty fun finding all the adorable cousins who can be swapped out for the Prince for katamari rolling duty. The animation style doesn't demand too much detail and thus everything looks like beautifully rendered lego toys. For fans of the series, there is a new title slated for release on the PS3 in September called Katamari Forever, which will actually feature a few changes in gameplay from the previous titles. If you're looking for a fun and different game on the 360 (which I always am!) definitely track down and try out Beautiful Katamari.

new harry potter is more of the same

As an avid fan of the Harry Potter books going back to their original late 1990's releases, I have always wanted to love the video game counterparts that have gotten more and more realistic and high-tech over the years. I played Order of the Phoenix on the Wii and like it alright but never felt sucked into it and was thoroughly confused by some of the motion controls for casting spells. Now, two years later, we've nearly reached the release date for the sixth movie Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince (can't wait, the trailers are amazing) and the video game of course came out this week. Preliminary reviews don't pan it or anything but it sounds like it was tough to top the innovative and engaging open-world gameplay introduced in the previous title. As Harry fans know, Quidditch was banned in the 5th book but makes a comeback in the 6th and apparently the game pays homage to this with occasional Quidditch minigame-style levels. It sounds like superfans of the series will probably enjoy The Half-Blood Prince as much as they enjoyed Order of the Phoenix, but that other than a few new characters and of course an advanced plot, the game's mechanics haven't come that far.

New Harry Potter game does little to improve upon last one

new games lately

I don't know why I always feel like I need to buy new games but, well, I do, and so I added a few more to my collection recently. First, I decided I was thoroughly embarrassed by trying to play the New York Times crossword puzzle game because it is really, really hard - at least it was for me - so I traded that one in and picked up the USA Today Crosswords game for idiots instead. LOL. Next, I found a very nice used copy of Beautiful Katamari for the 360 and picked that one up - haven't really had a chance to try it yet but I have a feeling it could become a new addiction. Finally, as an apology for falling asleep and missing a dinner date at the mall food court during my shift on Friday night, my wonderful boyfriend bought me an immaculate copy of Fatal Frame III: The Tormented for the PS2, which means now I just need to import Fatal Frame IV and I'll have the whole set rounded out. Love me some video games!

gaming news from all over

Best Buy is testing out used video game trade kiosks in stores in Austin, TX. Walmart is trying this as well. The games are redeemable for gift cards assuming they pass a test to be working. We'll see if a kiosk can compete with GameStop's solidly established retail trade-in services.

Penn and Teller will add video games to their list of topics to address on their Showtime show Bullsh*t! this season. The new season starts June 25th and unless the video game clips show up on Youtube I doubt anyone will ever see them.

The NPD Group will no longer release weekly PC sales charts documenting the ups and downs of the PC sales market. Sims 3 and Ghostbusters top the Direct2Drive chart while Left 4 Dead, Empire: Total War and Prototype are the top 3 on Steam's monthly chart.

Final Fantasy VII is the fastest-selling classic game download ever. The RPG for original Playstation has sold over 100,000 digital copies for play on the PS3 or PSP since being added to the North American Playstation Network at the beginning of June.

new xbox360 features on the horizon

It's been a big year for game and game hardware development and all of the major developers have interesting and cool new stuff up their sleeves for the coming year in gaming. Even with its groundbreaking Project Natal motion-control system in the works, Microsoft knows it needs to keep up with the Joneses (or in this case Nintendo and Sony) when it comes to exciting upcoming offerings from its Xbox360 system. BloodyDisgusting.com, an excellent source for news on horror and scary games, takes a pretty in-depth look at the 360 and what it will have to offer in the near future. Personally having gotten acquainted with my PS3 at this point it's hard to see a lot of these ideas as anything but direct-response competition with Sony but still, turning the game console into a more varied multimedia machine in my opinion is a very good direction to be going in.

On a side note since I've tagged this post with Microsoft, am I the only one seriously hating on Bing and its retarded commercials where someone asks someone else a question and the person goes into a zombie-like state of rattling off quasi-related web hits supposedly from Google? I'm sorry but if you Google "foods you can't eat while pregnant" literally every single hit on the front page is relevant and useful. Try again, Microsoft. At right: everyone's favorite red ring of death.

final fantasy VII on the playstation network!

If you've always wanted to play Final Fantasy VII but aren't looking to spend collector's prices on a PSX copy, you're in luck: one of Sony's major E3 press conference announcements was the release of the game title for download onto its Playstation Network online community. Widely considered one of the best games ever (ever!), Final Fantasy VII was intended for the SNES originally, then for the N64, but was moved to the Playstation during development due to the lack of size on Nintendo's cartridges. Now you can download it for $10 on the PSN and play it on your PS3 or PSP. Enjoy!

playstation 3 price cut at e3?

Seems like you can't read anything these days without mention of the economy and coverage of this year's E3 convention is no exception. Some of the major announcements are expected to be hardware price cuts, including the Playstation 3, which currently sells for $399 for the 80GB system (or $499 for the 160GB, which currently comes bundled with Uncharted, apparently). This article does claim that the PS3 currently sells for "over $600" but I assume the purported price drop will place the PS3 in a little easier competition price-wise with the Xbox 360. Still glad we got our backwards-compatible PS3 because I'm loving my PS2 games.

Video Game Industry Fighting Fit For E3