March 7, 2013 · 9:22 pm

When Do You Play Video Games During the Week?

When do you play video games?

The sand that slipped away.

There’s not enough time in the day.

I’d like to squeeze in some play time, but the week is usually jam-packed with things to do. Time seems to slip through my fingers like sand.

I wonder how people find the time to play all the latest games. Seriously, you can find games that are hundreds of hours long, and some people go through them like daily clean shirts.

How is it that we will all find time to pursue this awesome hobby when there’s so much to do?

Some Wonderful Things That Can Keep You from Your Beloved Video Games

• You’ve worked so hard that you can barely stand on your feet. The fridge is empty and dinner doesn’t cook itself.

• Young students have an alphabet [soup] to digest and new crackers to crunch at school.

• You have other hobbies to pursue and want to spend quality time with more than a machine.

• You’re running around a house trying to keep order as your children laugh and play. You probably would like to prevent more crayon frescoes on your walls.

• You’re taking your spouse out for a fancy dinner.

• You care about what’s going on in the world around you.

• Surviving a zombie apocalypse… Oops! That belongs in another list.

What Keeps Me from Playing Games?

I’m so glad you asked.

I’d say all the things in the list above, except for kids and a spouse, learning the alphabet and zombies. I would add things like volunteering, reading and writing.

Maybe I’m also not very good at games because it takes me a while to wrap up one. You won’t find broken controllers in my apartment; you will find me replaying sections of a game though.

How do I Make Room for Video Games?

That’s easy! I make time for them. There are few things as relaxing as playing video games when you have nothing else to do.

When do you play video games during the week? How do you find the time to play them?

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February 26, 2013 · 8:15 pm

My Xbox Has a Message for the Next-Gen… from the Grave

three red lightsMy Xbox 360 breathed its last breath two years ago. It wheezed and probably coughed up a lot of house dust. Then the dreaded three red lights appeared and mocked me.

Before that, I was cruising along fun highway without a care in the world. The three red lights were like a flat tire that forced me to pull over to the curb.

It was game over.

I thought about what I would do next. Could I ever learn to trust Xbox again? Would I stay single by taking myself off the console circuit?

Well, not long after that tragedy, I started to court the PS3 and fell for it. Here’s five reasons why I choose the PS3:

1. Disconnect

Kinect isn’t for me. I’m also not interested in Move, and I think Sony knows that.

2. More cool but meaningless numbers

I love trophies. Earning them is a RPG lover’s dream come true because they count towards your PSN level. Even better, I love to earn the platinum trophy in a game. Getting that platinum is like reaching the top of a mountain, planting a flag to claim it, and yelling with joy.

3. Can’t Survive on Halo Alone

Halo was one of the main reasons why I bought an Xbox 360. After a year or two, I was full. But PlayStation games, like Journey and Uncharted, beg for me to play them. They’re too good to ignore.

4. No more death

I didn’t want to see the three red lights again. They’re red hot glow is forever seared in my head.

5. Felt like something different

I wasn’t angry when my Xbox 360 died. I had always secretly wanted a PS3 but didn’t have the time to play with two consoles. In fact, I was happy when my Xbox died because now Sony’s machine was within my grasp. Looking back, it seems like everything worked out in the end.

A lesson for the next Gen from the Xbox Cemetery

New consoles are coming soon. You’re going to hear all about the great next-gen features that they have. Let’s hope the next-gen includes a failure free future or at least less fail. My continued support for the consoles will depend on it.

What about you?

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February 19, 2013 · 6:33 pm

The Future of PlayStation and Making Trophies Even Better

The Future of PlayStationWhat is the future of PlayStation?

Let me peer into this cloudy orb – you might call it Orbis – and try to divine the future.

Oh wait! We’ll find out tomorrow.

In the meantime, I thought of five changes to trophies that I’d like to see in a future PlayStation:

1. Less multiplayer trophies

This is a small change.

I like to sink my teeth into single player games and take time to digest all they offer. I don’t spend much time with multiplayer and can’t afford hundreds of hours to get those rare trophies. The Uncharted series did a good job here: I only had to earn one or two multiplayer trophies.

2. Jump to a trophy you just earned

So you slash your way through a game when something pops up on the screen. You adjust your geeky glasses, held together with tape, and squint at the screen.

“You earned a trophy: Great Job!”

What does that mean?

I’d like to tap a button to find out the details right away. I’m talking about light speed here. I want to know why I got a trophy.

3. More platinum trophies

I wish every game had a platinum trophy. Yes, that would include small PSN games. The platinum trophy is a fun reason to dust off an old game and replay it after you’ve beaten it to death.

4. Bonus rewards for unlocking trophies

You unlocked a trophy! Your eyes light up and sparkle like a diamond when you see it.

Now, imagine if you could unlock some cool weapons at the same time. I think that sounds fun, and it would spur me to play until I unlocked everything in the game.

5. Carry trophies over to the next system

This is the most important item on this list.

I expect Sony will trumpet new things and throw out old failures. I hope they keep trophies on their next system so I can keep stacking them on my virtual shelf.

What do you think Sony should do tomorrow?

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February 17, 2013 · 5:01 pm

My Video Game Diet: What I Consume on a Regular Basis

 

My gaming diet has three main building blocks.

1.Strategy games

I love strategy games and can never get enough of them. You might say I have an insatiable hunger because they never fill me. I always want more.

I could play a game like Civilization or XCOM for hours and not get stuffed. These games never expire or lose their freshness throughout all those hours. You just have to stop, get some balance, and then come back for more.

I could also shovel pizza non-stop into my stomach, but that’s a subject for another blog.

2. RPGs

I can’t live without water or RPGs. Mass Effect 2 is one RPG with a refreshing story that I love.

3. Adventure / Platformers

I like to slowly chew away at platformers when there’s nothing else to play. Sometimes I’ll devour a short game like Journey in one sitting.

What’s your video game diet like?

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February 10, 2013 · 4:12 pm

A Little Thing That Makes Games a Joy to Play? Demo Bonuses

Video Games Demo Bonuses Make Me HappyDo you think video games should stay fun? Of course you do!

Sometimes, though, people are so negative about games that it’ll rain on your good mood. Usually, these people sport sourpuss faces that look like they’d swallowed a jar of lemon juice. You know the usual suspects and their comments:

  •   “’X’ is an evil serpent of a games publisher.”
  •   “I don’t like that game’s ending. Change it to suit my preferences.”
  •   “My console is better than your console.”

Shove all that stuff aside for now. These squabbles can smother your sun shine of a good time with the dark cloud of gloominess.

Instead, let’s talk about why it’s so much fun to play games today. I love the little things, like demo bonuses, that make games even more of a joy to play.

The bonuses are rewards you unlock for beating a free demo, and you get to play with them when you buy the full game. It’s a cool idea.

Maybe your bonus is a mighty blade to vanquish a fire spewing dragon. Or a 1000 pound gun that fills enemies full of holes like Swiss cheese. Press the trigger, the gun goes boom and watch waves of enemies beg for mercy. Whatever the bonus is, it’s usually a lot of fun to use in the full game.

The Kingdoms of Amalur demo nets you some cool bonuses for use in that game. You can get armor and a weapon just for playing the 30 or so minute demo.

You even get a bonus from the same demo to use in Mass Effect 3. How does that work? Go play the Amalur demo. Then buy Mass Effect 3. Your copy of Mass Effect 3 will now have Amalur inspired armour and a chakram launcher. You know, to launch chakrams at evil space aliens who want to destroy the universe.

You better believe that these offers enticed to me play the demo.

I wish more developers tried this idea with their games. We need some more positive vibes, love, fun and more ways to share the joy of playing games. Let’s toss aside the boxing gloves and have some fun. After all, we play games to have fun. At least that’s true for me.

So, I like the idea of rewarding people for playing your demo. And the bonuses are free! What more could you want?

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February 3, 2013 · 6:11 pm

Give Me “A Wink and a Smile” When you Get This Achievement

A Wink and A Smile TrophyYou stare at the screen so hard that you’re almost burning holes through it. You ask yourself, “How could this have happened?” You shake your head so fast that it feels like it will fall off. Then sweat flows down your forehead like Niagara, and you rip at clumps of your hair. Continue reading →

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January 27, 2013 · 5:44 pm

Move Over, Motion Control! Play Video Games with Your Thoughts

Play Video Games with Your Thoughts“These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.” I’m sure all Star Wars fans have longed to use Jedi mind tricks.

What if you could play as Obi-Wan Kenobi in a game and do those tricks? You wouldn’t need a joystick, Kinect or a Wii.

All you need is your brain.

So I know this is old news but it might have slipped past most gamers like a sneaky snake. I’m talking about a New York Times Magazine article from September 14, 2011 by Pagan Kennedy.

Kennedy writes that surgeons use head implants in epilepsy patients as part of their treatment. (Read the article to learn more.)

In the article, “The Cyborg in Us All,” one man with the implant played the classic shooter Galaga. So that sounds normal. Well, the patient used his thoughts to move the ship and a computer understood him.

“Hold it right there! What did you say?”

Yes, you are awake. You read that right.

You could dump all your old school joysticks and motion controllers into the garbage can.

Imagine if you could use your thoughts to play all games. I think most gamers already use their head when they play, except for that one person who’s always team killing. But, seriously, the idea of using thoughts to play a game sounds cool.

I mean, you were probably tired of waggling your Wii mote. You hit your friend so many times in the chest while playing “tennis” that he or she punched you in the face. You were also a little tired of your neighbour watching while you did karate chops in your living room.

What do you think about using your thoughts to control games? Does it sound like video games could rot your brain, or does it sound like next-gen fun?

(By the way, the Galaga thing was just a small part of the article. Read the article to learn more about mind and machine.)

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January 20, 2013 · 3:51 pm

The Never Ending Video Game? Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

Kingdoms of Amalur ReckoningJust to satisfy a craving, you rush to the nearest game store and nearly trip over your own feet.

That’s when you see Amalur.

Its shiny box beckons you closer and causes your eyes to light up. Unlike the other games, it shines forth like a beacon in the night.

You say to yourself, “wait, what’s Kingdoms of Amalur?”

Well, I want to tell those folks out there who are curious but know nothing about the game.

Amalur is an epic RPG made by Big Huge Games and 38 Studios. And, boy, has Big Huge Games lived up to their name. Did you know it may take 200 hours to finish everything in Amalur?

Here’s some silly things you should know before buying.

Kingdom’s of Amalur: Reckoning Checklist before You Buy

 • Is lasting appeal important to you? You might find you have little time for other games.

 • Do you like side quests? Hey, there’s also menial tasks to finish. Just like in life!

 • Check it out if you hate the typical six hour FPS game and like Dungeons and Dragons. I know you’re out there; I’ve seen the Call of Duty Metacritic scores.

 • Do you have an obsessive personality? Maybe sit this one out for the good of your family, friends and health. You’ll loaf for so long while playing this game that you could have baked 100 loaves of bread. Seriously, this game will devour your time.

 • Play the demo. You’ll get a good sense of the gameplay, though there might be bugs. And you’ll get bonus Mass Effect 3 armor!

 • Oh, I’ve got one more… Do you like games with colons in their titles? Amalur joins the distinguished ranks of games such as Halo: Reach.

 I’m 50 hours in and won’t be finished anytime soon. It seems Amalur never ends, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

It’s just a shame we may never get a sequel. Or maybe we will get that sequel if enough people clamor for it. So, go out there, give Amalur a spin, and let the world know what you think about it.

But, please, turn off your oven and don’t let the bread burn when you play the whole game.

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January 13, 2013 · 5:11 pm

Movies Invade Your Video Games! Uncharted 3 and 3 Blockbuster Movies

Uncharted 3 Movie References

Pictured: My cold germs. Don’t worry! You won’t get sick from reading this post.

So I was cold and clammy for a good part of Christmas. I spent a lot of time growing roots on the couch while watching the same old action movies.

Yep, I’m alive and thriving now.

Anyway, Uncharted 3 has a crush on some major movies and it’s got it bad. In my opinion, the game doesn’t try to hide it like a secret admirer; it’s all out in the open. You can see the love of Hollywood in its eyes.

Let’s take a closer look. Continue reading →

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January 6, 2013 · 2:41 pm

Amazing Games Aren’t Always Perfect and That’s O.K.

Video Games Aren't Perfect and That's O.K. Every now and then you see goofy things in really good games.

That’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes those moments can cause you to spray pop through your nose as you laugh out loud – or not. Other times it just takes you out of the experience.

These two games have some odd moments.

1. In Skyrim, giants wander the land and drag along deadly clubs to beat things to death.

You’d think that club would flatten you into a pancake. But sometimes the clubs send creatures hurtling into the air and flying far across the world.

I have to wonder: was this giant club thing meant as a joke? Maybe Bethesda thought their game could use a bit more humour and threw this in for a laugh. Skyrim is a kind of serious sword and sandal game. I mean, it has it’s own dragon language!

Sounds a bit funny doesn’t it? Well, that’s just only one of the strange things in this otherwise excellent game.

2. Uncharted 3

Naughty Dog makes games that look like you could play them on the silver screen. They did it again with Uncharted 3. The camera angles and set-pieces are worthy of Hollywood. How could the game get any better?

Well, Drake’s death scenes could use a little work. When he dies, everything – surprise – gets somber, but Drake’s corpse tends to fly and his limbs flail wildly. This goofy sight doesn’t really fit a game that looks as good as a blockbuster action movie.

What other amazing games have weird problems that mar your good time?

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