I have this weird problem where it is hard for me to enjoy music that doesn’t have vocals. This includes jazz, classical, Canadian fiddlers and sadly, video game music. I can enjoy it while playing since it adds a sense of atmosphere, but on my personal music player? No thanks. Luckily, there are heroes like the maker of this video who add their own lyrics to classic video game songs so people like me can enjoy them in everyday situations. Set your ears to stunned.
I’m a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to movies and video games. I’ll admit, I cover my eyes or look away during the suspenseful parts of a movie, and I’ve even turned off the console after getting surprised by an enemy in Resident Evil. With all the Halloween hubbub going around, there’s been a lot of talk of horror and video games.
Well, I say, “Fuck Halloween.”
The latest game in the Castlevania series, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia is taking the vampire vanquishing franchise to new heights, and breaks down gender barriers at the same time. The first game to feature a sole female protagonist, though Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin had a female main character, Charlotte (Jonathan!), sharing the spotlight, Ecclesia’s Shanoa is a worthy successor to the monster hunting throne.
Game Design, PC, World of WarCraft
I’m not much of an experienced World of Warcraft player since I only logged a 10-week trial. And in the short time that I did play, only one thing motivated me: getting a sweet thing to ride. WoW features plenty of impressive rides that players can use and abuse, but I feel like Blizzard could use some fresh rideables in order to keep things interesting. Here are some ideas.
Game Design, Playstation 3, Xbox 360
The most recent Downloadable Content for Soul Calibur IV has been out for a bit. Xbox LIVE advertises it as extra Halloween clothing for your custom character sets. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m hesitant to buy anything whose only purpose is virtual eye candy if I can’t see it first. GotGame consumer reports has got your back, with a behind-the-purchase look at what is available.
Let the fashion show begin.
Headlines, Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3, Xbox 360
In a stunning move that…everyone saw coming (due to the conspicuous empty character slot), Namco-Bandai has announced that the supposed “console-exclusive” Star Wars characters, Yoda and Darth Vader, will now be available to play on both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Soul Calibur IV. You just need to pay a small price to see how the other half lives. Come October 23rd, Japan will be able to play as Yoda on the PlayStation 3 for ¥600 (around $6.00 US), and Vader will go for 400 Microsoft Points on the 360. Expect it stateside soon. The whole thing is somewhat shifty since it was confirmed that the characters were on the disc already. Still, new content is new content.
It’s no secret that 18-34 year old males are a large, but hard to reach group. So it should also be no surprise that political campaigns are willing to try new strategies in an attempt to sway them. The latest tactic? In-game advertising. After all, video games are a hit with that particular demographic. With the November election just around the corner, Obama’s campaign is placing the ads only in the swing states Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio and Wisconsin. The ads themselves will be no different than the normal in-game ads and will mostly be in the form of stadium signs, billboards and posters in the digital worlds.
Headlines, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3, Xbox 360
As news from the Tokyo Game Show 2008 keeps pouring in from across the Pacific, one might feel a bit overwhelmed. There are so many titles that it is tough to sift through all of the information out there to find the golden nuggets. That’s okay, though. I’m here to help you out. Never mind the fact that I’m not on the showroom floor, I’ve been gobbling up all information coming our way, from articles to podcasts to trailers. We’ll have more in depth coverage of the highlights, but for now, here are my awards for the show thus far. Caution: Video embeds abound.
