May 102013
 

It’s time once again to revisit the original Playstation, a treasure trove of memorable titles that lead the brand to global fame and popularity. However, its competition, the divisive N64, managed to hold its own with some of the most universally beloved titles of all time. What the N64 lacked in quantity it made up for in quality, producing two of the finest Zelda games ever released, a superb 3D reimagining of the Mario platforming experience, and the first of Nintendo’s ace-in-the-hole fighting series, Super Smash Bros. That being said, the console was a near wasteland for third party titles, save for a few notable examples. And my list of those selections begins and ends with Star Wars: Rogue Squadron.

Now, I looove me some Rogue Squadron, but I’m not ultimately here to discuss its brilliance or weep over the lack of a fourth installment. No, I’m going to talk about Colony Wars, a game exclusively for Playstation that has no connection to the Star Wars franchise. Why did I give a perhaps needlessly lengthy introduction to Rogue Squadron, then? Maybe because Colony Wars serves as a similar but distinctive alternative to the game I loved ever so much. And thus, even if the game wasn’t in my perhaps narrow field of knowledge before roughly three or four months ago, I thought I’d spend the evening discussing it in an objective, non-nostalgic manner.

Colony Wars - TRAVIS - 2

Continue reading »

Mar 222013
 

Welcome to The Retrospective, your weekly look into the quality and longevity of gaming’s greatest (or maybe just best remembered). Each week, I try a game from the past that, for whatever reason, I completely missed out on at its height of popularity. Last week, I had positive thoughts on Halo: Combat Evolved, and this week I thought I’d attempt to ride the wave of current interest in Tomb Raider, thanks to its newest iteration. Today I’ll take a brief venture into the very first Tomb Raider, released all the way back in 1996.

Tomb Raider - TRAVIS - 1

Continue reading »

Feb 232013
 

And it will cost seven-hundred ninety-nine U.S dollars.

PS4 showcase

Well, the PS4 has finally been revealed, and boy did Sony have surprises in store. Streaming, sharing, and so much more. What could be buried within? What still has yet to be seen? Tonight, the Inverseman will divulge his thoughts on the PS4 and where things could be heading.

Continue reading »

Jan 102013
 

In the past few weeks, I’ve been revisiting quite a few old games with greater interest than usual. From complete playthroughs of Metal Slug X, Aladdin on SNES, and Halo: Combat Evolved, to some dabbling in EarthBound, for whatever reason I felt it necessary to revisit some classics that I missed out on long ago. It’s been a fun adventure into the past, and it really helps to put current gaming into perspective when you see the facets of yesterday’s gaming and how they evolved.

One game in particular brought on a realization about the transition from 2D to 3D, specifically how most of the early forays into the third dimension failed to capture the same control ingenuity that had been honed in 2D for so long. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards is a game beloved by many. Allow me to (attempt) to put it into a negative, yet realistic perspective.

Continue reading »

Aug 072012
 

It’s been 4 years since Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was released, and it finally has trophies. Yesterday, a patch was released that allows you to earn trophies for one of the PS3′s best titles. Konami had this to say about the patch:

The download will be automatically implemented the next time you login to PlayStation Network with Hideo Kojima’s masterpiece, and adds 34 Trophies to the game. The trophies reward players for skilled play and for finding easter eggs such as using a drum can to knock down enemies. There’s never been a better time to revisit one of the PlayStation 3′s most acclaimed titles.

You can  check out the Metal Gear Solid 4 trophy list here. Some of the them are pretty weird, but I’m not surprised due to Hideo Kojima’s quirky humor. It’s important to note that you cannot earn trophies using your old save files. If you need an excuse to pick up this title again (or pick it up for the first time), now’s your chance. I know my brother LIFE will be revisiting this game pretty soon. Happy hunting!