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

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Feb 272013
 

We’ve all seen them. They haunt our dreams and they sadden our realities. Huge, overstocked, obsessive video game collections can be beastly sights, and the internet has proven to be a prime method for showing off what was once a deeply personal habit. Some guys really go all out for their beloved game splurges, and to many the hobby is just as much about finding the rarest items from the medium’s history and maintaining a massive stock as it is actually playing games.

In the recent months, I’ve noticed a percentage of my gaming attention slowly get dedicated to sowing the seeds to what may someday be a rather large collection. I’ve been buying up retro consoles, pulling old games and memorabilia out of hiding, and reading up on lists of various consoles’ rarest titles, from the Sega Saturn to the Game Boy. Even if I have a limited amount of my college living-expense budget to humor this newfound interest, it’s really quite fun to become acquainted with the history and lineage of video games. But there’s a small, wormy distress that’s nagging in the back of my mind. Are we slowly losing our ability to maintain history? Is game cataloging slowly becoming a thing of the past? Let’s talk about it.

Collection - TRAVIS - 4 Continue reading »

Feb 252013
 

Nothing makes bigger waves in this industry than new console announcements, and Sony sure dropped a big one with the PS4. Announced at their conference last week, Sony was in the perfect position to wow the general gaming audience, as it not only could also control all the spectacle and hype, but it also didn’t have to compete with another console launch. In fact, the PS4 announcement didn’t really have any notable news to compete with, and I’m pretty sure just about everyone has some opinion on it, myself included. At initial glance, the PS4 looks like a pretty slick machine, but that’s what this industry is good at, style over substance. That’s not to say there isn’t any substance here, but if there is, it’s hard to imagine Sony wanted you to see it; they did a pretty good job of hiding it.

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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.

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Feb 132013
 

Let’s pretend for a day that everything I talked about last week on the egregious problems surrounding rumored plans by Microsoft and Sony to block used games are not coming to fruition. Let’s assume that the next gen consoles will be extremely desirable in terms of power, game variety, and implementation of interesting new game mechanics. And let’s understand that no matter what we might say right now regarding whether or not a next gen set of consoles interests us, Sony and Microsoft are going to do their damnest to make the PS4 and Xbox 720 (assuming those are the names, of course) extremely shiny and new. A part of you will want one, even if it’s small and tucked away. No need to be defensive about that fact. We all love us some new technology boxes.

But is now the right time? Aren’t we only just getting settled comfortably into the PS3 and Xbox 360 graphical pillow? Or is it getting old playing in 720p almost exclusively? Or witnessing the HD illusion break apart as soon as you stand even a little close to the TV? Of course, graphics aren’t the only area that will improve with greater console power, and time will tell if such improvements stand to change gaming or perpetuate its forward growth. I’m willing to discuss amicably, if you are.

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Nov 282012
 

It’s funny to me that I spend so much of my writing space discussing handheld games, considering how little I used to care about that area of video games. Yet in the last year I have catapulted my playtime with both the 3DS and Vita to nearly eclipse that of home consoles and PC games. Several key games have helped contribute to my newfound fascination with gaming on the go, and it’s likely that my current college student lifestyle easily facilitates this form of play.

That being said, I am clearly the exception to the rule, the rise against the norm. While I may be enjoying my Vita wholeheartedly, there appears to be a vast majority who find themselves disappointed by its slim offerings or disinterested in buying one altogether. That’s really too bad, because the Vita was and still in many ways is a console with great potential. But what’s ultimately true is that the Vita faces a substantial uphill battle if Sony truly desires to see it succeed. Conservative implementation, marketing, and game development will not save it from its many visible woes. No, the Vita will have to see some great changes if it wishes to do even marginally well.

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Nov 242012
 

All of you are such casuals…

Wii Sports Resort Island

Oh boy do we have a bit here. Today the Inverseman will dissect the “recent” phenomenon of casual gaming that has emerged over the past five or so years, and  does he have a bone to pick.

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Aug 012012
 

Greetings internet fiends, my name is Travis, and it would seem that I am joining this community of writers. Without diving into an elongated introduction, all I’ll say for now is that I look forward to a long lasting, fruitful relationship centered around shared interests and passion for thoughtful discussion and the occasional nerd rage. Without further ado, it is my pleasure to write the first episode of a series I call “Point of Contention”, an opinion column that will cover a range of topics.

Let’s talk Playstation Vita.

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Jul 312012
 

Upon finishing Infamous 2, I realized it was definitely the sort of game I was going to have to put off reviewing. Not because of any particularly unusual aspect, but I was still scratching my head. Of course, if the game was unusual in any sort of manner, I’d probably be scratching my head, all the same, but that’s besides the point. Rather, I found myself scratching my head because I couldn’t come up with a clear, concise opinion about the game.  I know I had fun with the game, but something felt off, and I was having the hardest time finding out exactly what. Nonetheless, I did have fun, so that should very well be enough.

You may be asking, “Hey Laevatein, what about the first game?  How come you’re skipping it?”  Well, if you wanted my opinion of the last game, it was a pretty fun game that could’ve benefited from more variety, the removal of some silly fun-stoppers, and not releasing so close to Prototype.  Of course, it still did pretty well, but for the longest time, you couldn’t mention Infamous without bringing up Prototype.  Anyway, for this review, I’ll often be referencing the first Infamous, so I hope that suffices.

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Jun 132012
 

A PSP game by Namco Bandai based on the popular anime Tiger and Bunny will be hitting Japanese store shelves this September. Called Tiger and Bunny: On-Air Jack!, the game follows the original story from the anime and adds a newly created scenario with new characters just for the game. Conversation scenes have full voice acting from the original cast. Continue reading »