GayGamer.net

Rumor: Will We See A New Side Side Of Kane And Lynch?

2009-11-07T18:00:00Z

According to a tip placed into Kotaku, a level in Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days might be rather revealing for the two main characters. Minor game spoilers ahead:

According to a potentially spoiler-filled e-mail--yes, spoiler alert in effect!--from a regularly reliable tipster, Messrs. Kane and Lynch will be on the run entirely in the buff for one of the game's levels. That's for the whole level, supposedly. How does this happen? According to our tipster "they wind up naked because in the previous level they get ambushed and are about to get sodomized." Oh, my.

Ah yes, the ubiquitous "running around naked after an attempted rape" level. Almost as popular as fire or ice stages. Kotaku labels the tipster as reliable, and I just can't see why anyone would make this up, even in their slashiest dreams. It also seems to gel with the mysterious promo video that showed up last week. No word on whether they'll blur out the goods or if we'll be getting the Lost and Damned experience, but I'm sure fans of mullets and/or scars are crossing your fingers already.

Rumor: Kane and Lynch 2 has a very NSFW level [Kotaku]

GayGamer Week In Review - Week Of 10/26/2009

2009-11-02T03:00:00Z

mixvio asked about your opinion regarding morality in videogames.

Vorpal Bunny had something to say about reviews.

Netflix announced that their instant queue streaming will soon be available on the PS3.

We got another quick peek into the world of Bioshock 2.

GayGamer podcast #41 discussed the all pertinent game news of the week. And gangbangs.

Wootini said that Lips: Number 1 Hits was more like a number 8.

Game Boy let you know if Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard was overlooked or rightly buried.

A pair of lesbian gamers had an adorable, game-themed wedding.

Dragon Age: Origins' gay love interest was explored, preliminarily.

Nintendo introduced the DSi XL, an all-around larger version of the handheld they released earlier this year.

We listed the history of Famitsu's perfect scores, and Game Boy shared his opinion on which ones were worthy.

mixvio reviewed Earth Dragon for iPhone.

Sony announced the God Of War III Ultimate Edition, featuring a bunch of downloads and a box that's perfect for keeping all of those evil souls you've got lying around.

Wootini meets a big gay musclebird in this week's Animal Crossing Diary.

Infinity Ward makes a poor choice in advertising Modern Warfare 2 online.

UPDATE: Infinity Ward Pulls F.*.G.S. Video

2009-11-01T20:00:00Z

In response to negative reaction to the video mixvio described in a post yesterday, Infinity Ward has pulled it from their YouTube channel. Over on his twitter, Creative Strategist for Infinity Ward Robert Bowling tweeted a couple of times about the issue.

In response to Game Informer Associate Editor Phillip Kollar's assertion that the "stupid joke stupid joke condones a part of their community they should be shunning," Bowling responded:

I think it was more of a social commentary joke of that stereotype than it was a fist-bump of acceptance to it.

Then to freelance games writer Mitch Dyer's claim that the video could be seen as derogatory, Bowling agreed:

I think the core gag is great, the end is a bit too far from the intent of the joke & can appreciate the concerns. Pulled.

Infinity Ward, despite their initial shortsightedness, seems to have responded relatively quickly and respectfully, although it still feels like they've left out a few answers. Even if you didn't personally feel offended by the stunt, the word still has a lot negative power for most in our community, whether it's used to describe poor sports in an online match or hurled at someone before an act of violence. It's not something we should just accept because some clueless straight people "have some gay friends" who don't care at all. Honestly, of all the excuses that I've read for homophobia, I don't understand how people can still use the gay friends one and not be laughed out of the room. Despite all we hear about the industry "growing up," the majority reaction to something like this just reminds me that it's ruled by pubescent straight boys.

Infinity Ward pulls MW2 Hamels video after internet furor [Destructoid]
[Link via: commenter Burr]

Deal: Wizard Of Oz: Beyond The Yellow Brick Road Amazon's DotD

2009-11-01T18:00:00Z

For All Saint's Day, Amazon's got one of the DS's sleeper RPGs - The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road - on sale for 37% off, or $18.98. Our own Game Boy liked it quite a bit, although critical opinion seems a little more mixed. Still, it should appeal to fans of the cuter side of the RPG, and if you're an Oz fan it's kind of a no-brainer. It's not the greatest deal in the world, but if the title had a low print run, it's possible the game could go out of print before prices drop much lower.

If you're interested, click on the link below to buy the game through the GayGamer Amazon store, so the site gets a few pennies from the sale.

The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road [GayGamer's Amazon Store]

Rockstar Wants You To Grow A Mustache For Men's Health

2009-10-31T21:00:00Z

Rockstar Games has become a major sponsor of Movember, a month-long paean to the mustache that also benefits awareness of specific men's health issues, primarily prostate cancer. As part of the campaign, the company is offering a bit of immortality - a virtual spot in the upcoming Red Dead Redemption - to the person who manages to grow a winning mustache by the end of the month.

Interested parties must first register at the Movember website, then enter their email address and "mo #" at the Rockstar site. Next, friends and family can sponsor you from peach fuzz to soup strainer and help you raise money for the cause, and lastly just send a picture of the results in at the end of the month to be considered for the spot in the game. They don't seem to have any specific criteria, so I'm sure you follically challenged individuals can come up with some creative ways to get yourself noticed. The official rules are here, so read them over before you commit.

I'm pretty satisfied with the facial hair I have now, thanks, so I'll probably sit this one out. Now if the company ever has a "completely let yourself go to pot" contest to promote Max Payne 3, I'm so there.

The Red Dead Redemption Movember Event [Rockstar]
[via: Joystiq]

Watch Silent Hill (The Movie) On Hulu

2009-10-31T17:00:00Z

Maybe it's not the greatest cinematic achievement, but compared to a few other game-to-movie translations, Silent Hill is practically a masterpiece. If you've never taken the time to check it out, folks in America (sorry, rest of the world) can now watch it streaming on Hulu for free, as they're added the movie to the site just in time for Halloween. Trick or treat!

In case you haven't already, you'll need to sign up for a free account with the service in order to prove that it won't warp your fragile young mind. The movie does a great job with the world created in the game visually, even if the plot and more subtle elements are kind of fumbled. I liked Laurie Holden as Cybil the lesbian cop though, and Alice Krige was as nutty as ever. But don't take my faint praise for it, Hulu user Cassie Bee raves:

i love this movie!! crazy stuff makes you think sometimes about whats really going on that we dont know about?!!?!?! happy halloween everyone!! *mwahs*

Crazy stuff makes you think sometimes, indeed.

Silent Hill: Watch the full feature film now [Hulu]

GayGamer Week In Review - Week Of 10/19/2009

2009-10-26T03:00:00Z

mixvio asked for your opinion on super deluxe limited edition packages.

If you're using an unauthorized memory device with your Xbox 360, be wary of updates.

The GayGamer.net Podcast spend an odd amount of time on Disney and Disney related topics.

Game Boy reviewed The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, while NaviFairy gushed over Machinarium.

Taking a podcast question a little further, Game Boy asked about your most valuable game.

Famitsu says Bayonetta is a perfect 10 40.

Wootini took a look at some of the new features hitting the next Xbox 360 Dashboard update.

Am I seeing things or does that eagle have one giant nipple in this week's Animal Crossing Diary?

New weekend writer ROCsteady visited the Capcom Press Event in NYC and had impressions of Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, Dark Void, Lost Planet 2, Super Street Fighter 4, and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom.

NeoGAF Made Insomniac Feel :(

2009-10-25T20:00:00Z

In an interview with Videogamer, Insomniac's senior community manager James Stevenson talked a little bit about the fan reception to last year's Resistance 2, which despite having significantly higher critical scores, was seen as something of a failure by the first game's fans.

The hardcore fans of Resistance 1 were maybe a little bit disappointed. Those folks consistently expressing that - especially GAF [NeoGAF Forum, a popular videogame message board] - it was like your dog turned on you. ...

We talk to journalists a lot but we deal with our fans every day - and when they are disappointed... Reviewers are playing lots of games. They're supposed to be critical. But the people who put their money down on our game, want to see our game be good and want to invest months of their time into our game, spend months of their time leading up to our game watching videos, reading about it, sending us questions, listening to our podcasts, investing hours and hours and being excited for our game, if they're disappointed then it hurts more than some reviewer being pissy about a game and giving it a seven, well, okay, whatever. I can move on from that. I can ignore that. But fans that are genuinely disappointed are a lot harder to cope with.

While taking constructive criticism from fans is usually a good idea, I hope that the group-think from places like NeoGAF or GameFAQs don't invade the developer's minds too much. It sounds like I'm in the minority, but I actually liked Resistance 2 a lot more than the first, which never really clicked with me. Even the single player campaign! In fact one change I hear fans lamenting - the lack of narration - was a huge improvement for me, as I'd always rather play a game and have the story unfold on screen then have some lilting British accent fill me in on the details.

Insomniac: Fans believe Resistance 2 "was a failure" [Videogamer.com]
[via: Kotaku]

Deals: Buy 2 Get 1 Free At Best Buy

2009-10-25T17:00:00Z

Starting today, if you buy any two Wii, Xbox 360, or PS3 games priced $59.99 or less, you get a third (of equal or lesser value) for free. Not bad! I'm sure at least a few titles have slipped past by you in the past few months, so if you've got a little extra change rattling around, it might be a good time to catch up. The deal is good both in-store and online, and you can mix and match games from different consoles, although DS, PSP, and PC games are excluded. Also, while preorders don't count, the promotion should apply to this week's new releases like Tekken 6 and Ratchet and Clank Future, as the sale goes until Oct. 31.

Buy 2 Get 3rd Free [Best Buy]
[via: CheapAssGamer]

Video: Nostalgia Launch Trailer

2009-10-24T20:00:00Z

Video Games | Nostalgia | Exclusive Launch Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

I haven't been following Ignition's DS RPG Nostalgia closely, but from the looks of things in the trailer above, the title seems accurate. Aside from the checklist of popular JRPG tropes, the game looks promising: a decent way to pass the time before Golden Sun DS comes out next year. It's also good to see something besides another remake or rehash, even if the whole thing seems somewhat familiar already.

Nostalgia will be out later this week, on Oct. 27.

Rumor: Zenimax/Bethesda Looking To Buy Valve/Steam?

2009-10-24T17:00:00Z

In an editorial going out to GamesIndustry.biz newsletter subscribers, Rob Fahey brings up some "unconfirmed industry scuttlebutt" that Zenimax, the parent company to Elder Scrolls/Fallout 3 developer Bethesda, is looking to bolster their line-up by adding Valve to their roster, possibly with or without the company's digital download service Steam.

Zenimax most recently bought Id, so it's possible they're still in growth mode. If they're looking to join the ranks of the big boys like EA and Activision, Valve would be quite a coup. I'm sure any number of buyers would be lining up to buy the company, but would they actually sell? Gabe Newell, the co-founder and managing director of Valve has always seemed to take some pride in keeping Valve relatively independent, but maybe all that boycott talk earlier this year really hurt his feelings.

Anyway, "unconfirmed" and "scuttlebutt" really are the key words, but I'm sure if there's actually anything to the story, we'll hear more soon enough.

Digital Survival, page 2 [Eurogamer]

GayGamer Week In Review - Week Of 10/12/2009

2009-10-19T03:00:00Z

mixvio discussed how MMOs could improve things for the solo player once you've reached a level cap.

Rockstar showed some pride with their new logo tees.

Wootini got some playtime with a trio of upcoming Namco Bandai games: Dragon Ball: Raging Blast, Food Network: Cook or be Cooked, and Dead to Rights: Retribution.

We welcomed faePuck to the fabulous world of GayGamer.net.

Bradamantium went hands-on with New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Captain Lou Albano, the face of Mario for millions of cartoon obsessed kids in the 1980s, passed away.

Game Boy added his own thoughts to a list of ways to improve PSN.

Bradamantium reviewed A Boy and His Blob, calling it a few jellybeans short of a full candy dish.

Sony announced a 250GB PS3 Slim, on sale just in time for the holiday rush.

Mass Effect 2 got an official release date and the now almost obligatory preorder bonuses.

The town celebrated "Explorer's Day" in Wootini's Animal Crossing Diary, because apparently using the name Christopher Columbus is verboten.

What's On Your Short List?

2009-10-18T20:30:00Z

We're in the final stretch; there's only about a month and change before the year in games is effectively over, and I want to know: what's on your short list for best of the year? Sure, it's a little early, what with some of the biggest titles not releasing til November or later, but it would be a shame if 10 months of gaming was overlooked just because of the inflated importance of the holidays.

Had all the games set to be released this year actually hit their original dates, my list would probably be very different. It wasn't really a bad year for games so far, just not quite what we were promised. Probably the first game I'd put down is Flower on PSN, which for all the intellectual gobbledygook that it generated, actually had a profound affect on me at the time. Another game I'd add is Pictobits for the DSi: while on its own it probably wouldn't have sold me on Nintendo's "babysteps" approach to hardware upgrades, it's gotten closer than anything else for the system yet.

Of course there are a few blockbusters: Batman: Arkham Asylum wasn't a perfect game, but might make my list from the sheer surprise at how much it got right. And unless it completely falls apart in the last two chapters, Uncharted 2 looks like the one to beat for me. As for really, really dark horses, I think F.E.A.R. 2 has been one of the more underrated shooters this year. I know I definitely preferred its cheesy, B-movie scares to Killzone 2's testosterone party, but then I'm probably in the minority there.

So for now, put aside the fact that your real favorite game may be coming in a few weeks: what have you loved so far, and what do you hope isn't forgotten when all the votes are tallied at the end of the year?

Win One Half Of The Best Scarf Ever From Penny Arcade

2009-10-18T17:00:00Z

Here in the north, we're a good ways into fall now - there's a definite chill in the air, and I hope everyone's been dressing appropriately. We don't want you to get sick! The boys at Penny Arcade care about your well being too, which is why they've announced a new Katamari Forever contest. Basically they want you to make your own Katamari, using any means you have at your desposal. It could be a real one, or it could just be photoshop, or a piece of art. They don't care, just be creative (size doesn't matter) and send your entry into them. The winner gets a copy of the PS3's Katamari Forever, the Japanese soundtrack, signed artwork from producer Kazuhito Udetsu, and the Head-End of a Noby Noby Boy scarf made by Katamari series creator Keita Takahashi. You'll never be cold again!

Second prize is the game and soundtrack, as well as the Tail-End of the Noby Noby Boy scarf, which connects to the head scarf via a few buttons. As Tycho points out, winners not only get a bunch of awesome stuff, but they also make a friend for life. Or an arch-nemesis in a battle to the death. Whichever. Third prize is you're fired. Actually, third prize is just a copy of the game and soundtrack, but knowing you were so close to the scarf and failed probably will probably feel like a defeat, any way you slice it.

Send your entries to katamaricontest@gmail.com before November 8th, and cross your fingers.

Katamari Forever Contest [Penny Arcade]

Destructoid Marathon Gaming For Charity

2009-10-17T20:00:00Z

Some of the fine folks from Destructoid have joined the Extra Life 2009 gaming marathon for charity, and are broadcasting their efforts for the world to see. They started at 8am this morning and will be going until tomorrow at the same time. So far you've missed:

A 2-hour session of face-melting Rock Band 2 song requests, we beat the Citizen Kane of video games, Altered Beast, beat E.T. on the 2600 while wearing a rubber horse head, played Fear 2 (aka Modern Warfare 42), and ~~Mass~~ Space Effect.

They've so far raised around $2000, and seem to be taking requests from the larger donors, although at some point I assume their dance cards will be full. Right now they seem relatively stable and coherent, but make sure you tune in later when the caffeine and eyestrain has turned them into jittery, mindless shells. All money raised goes to Texas Children's Hospital to fight pediatric cancer. Destructoid isn't alone, they're just one of the more visible groups doing it: thousands of gamers have signed up to participate in the marathon, so if you know of any others worthy of singling out, let us know in the comments.

Destructoid will rock 24 hours of games for Extra Life [Destructoid]