Archive for 2009


WR: Fable 2 (360)

Friday, February 20th, 2009

fable_2_logo_treatment_4b_0001_logo_on_white

Developer: Lionhead Studios
Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Action RPG
Players: 1-2
Platform: Xbox 360
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Hours Played: 25

Once again we are thrown into the fantasy world of Albion that Peter Molyneux has created. This time around the game is larger, prettier and supposedly better than before. With the other big titles out there, can Fable 2 hold its own and live up to the hype? That’s what we are going to find out.

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WR: WipEout HD (PS3)

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

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Developer: Studio Liverpool
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Players: 1-2 (1-8 online)
Hours Played: 30+
Game Progress: Completed all campaigns

When WipEout HD, which has been out for a while now, was first announced it didn?t exactly stir us with an abundant sense of expectation.  How could a game that is not only a downloadable title, but also a port of a handheld game (WipEout Pure and WipEout Pulse on the PSP to be exact) inspire any anticipation? Well, you?ll be pleased to learn that WipEout HD is not only one of the best games available on the Playstation Network but also one of the best high speed racers, period.

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Opinion: COD4 Vs. CODWAW Vulnerable Humility

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

codvscod

RESPONSE: COD4 Vs. CODWAW It?s In The Numbers

COD4 was a high gloss action movie. While being a top-notch shooter in terms of mechanics, the premise of the game pales in contextual immersion to that of CODWAW because it was sterile and linear. With the exception of (SPOILERS!) the nuclear explosion and the beginning credits, the rest of the story was mindless. Without an intentionally overt context, the story felt like a glorified cop-and-robbers scenario. Having a historical context is a luxury Call of Duty: World at War inherently has over Call of Duty 4. While a lot of people I talk to tell me they just like “modern warfare situations better”, to me this fact didn’t necessarily make for a better game.

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Usagi Issues

Monday, February 16th, 2009

sickusagi

We just updated to WordPress 2.7.1, and the nice automatic upgrader somehow killed my front page and backups.  Thus, I am having to rebuild the front page from scratch, which I shall do after work today, closer to 12:00 am CST.  Thanks for your understanding, and the Usagi will be as good as new in no time.

-Miyamoto

WR: Call of Duty: World at War (360/PS3/PC)

Monday, January 12th, 2009

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Developer: Treyarch
Publisher: Activision
Players: 1-4 (16 online)
Console: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Hours Played: ~ 20 hours
Progress: Finished single player, played every map in online multiplayer.

The first-person shooter genre is over saturated, no doubt. However, as in so many other aspects of life, competition makes for greatness. Being a multiplayer gamer, my journey to figure out exactly which game I would devote my gaming life to was an arduous one, but alas, as in war, victory was won by pure grit and determination. Enter Call of Duty: World at War (CODWAW). With grit in the pure visceral impact of every second of the single player campaign, you can feel the determination of Treyarch to make one of the largest games of last year. War is hell, and hell is here.

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WR: Fallout 3 (360, PS3, PC)

Thursday, January 8th, 2009

fallout3

Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Genre: First-Person Action RPG
Players: 1
Console: Xbox 360/PS3/PC
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
TestFreaks Score: 9.6/10
Hours Played: ~ 40 hours
Progress: Beat main story, completed about half of side quests

Bethesda is a video game company known primarily for its development of one of the biggest first-person action RPG game series in the world, Elder Scrolls.  With their track record of primarily awesome games and their renown in the world of RPGs, extreme quality is most certainly expected from any game that they produce.  When it was announced that Bethesda was going to take the reins for a first-person iteration of the popular Fallout series for current-gen consoles, there was a mixed response from the gaming community.  Isometric turn-based RPG purists were disgusted that Fallout 3 would not be receiving the Diablo treatment again, and fans of the Elder Scrolls series rejoiced as Bethesda was embarking to create another game so much like thier beloved series.  I was in the latter of the two categories, so my expectations for this game were quite high.  Was Bethesda able to deliver on all of the hype surrounding their newest RPG?

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iTunes loves The Usagicast

Thursday, January 1st, 2009

itunes_usagicast

Well, with the successful launch of our first podcast, what could make the deal any more sweet?  How about being a featured New & Notable podcast on iTunes?  Well, we certainly are, and special thanks to the Apple folks for enjoying our podcast.  You can check out a screenshot of it by clicking “Read the rest of this entry”, or by going into the iTunes store and navigating to the Podcasts > Audio Podcasts > Games & Hobbies > Video Games section.

 
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