Just in case you missed it last week, we launched a series of videos that we put together from E3. In them we asked 25 different game journalist their comments and opinions on various subjects including favorite games, pet peeves and even personal hygiene! I edited all the responses to each question into easy to digest 3-5 minute videos for you to enjoy. So if you did miss out, I provide the links below for your enjoyment!
At this year's E3 we asked eight questions to various journalists within the game industry and got their answers on video. For our eighth and final question, we wanted to get to know a little bit more about our interviewees. So we got up close and personal with the question: Do you manscape? Inquiring minds want to know!
Check out our other precious E3 memories too!
At this year's E3 we asked eight questions to various journalists within the game industry and got their answers on video. You've heard the complaints about the decline of E3 from many sources, but what really gets a game writer's goat? We find out when we ask: What is your E3 pet peeve?
Check out our other precious E3 memories too!
At this year's E3 we asked eight questions to various journalists within the game industry and got their answers on video. In part six we get down to brass tacks with the question: What is the worst game of the show? Warning: This video may upset our more sensitive readers.
Check out our other precious E3 memories too!
At this year's E3 we asked eight questions to various journalists within the game industry and got their answers on video. In part five we query: What is the best game of the show? Some of the answers might surprise you.
Check out our other precious E3 memories too!
At this year's E3 we asked eight questions to various journalists within the game industry and got their answers on video. We made sure to ask the really hard hitting questions, like this one: Would you rather sleep with Marcus Fenix or have your Gamerscore reset to zero?
Check out our other precious E3 memories too!
At this year's E3 we asked eight questions to various journalists within the game industry and got their answers on video. This time around we ask the all important question, E3, GDC or PAX?
Check out our other precious E3 memories too!
At this year's E3 we asked eight questions to various journalists within the game industry and got their answers on video. Real candid answers from the folks with their fingers on the pulse of the industry! Here is question number two: What character or franchise do you hope you never have to see again?
At this year's E3 we asked eight questions to various journalists within the game industry and got their answers on video. Real candid answers from the folks with their fingers on the pulse of the industry! Here is question number one: Who won the E3 press conference war?
If there is one thing that is premium in the life of a blogger, it is time. Oh time, how I miss you! Over E3 Tiny and I took some video footage that we were quite proud of, not realizing at the time what a time consuming effort it would be actually compiling and editing it all. It didn't help that I don't know a whole lot about video editing and was basically teaching myself as I went along. Personally I think they came out pretty good for a first try. Long story short, the videos are finally finished in all their lo-fi and unprofessionally edited glory and I'll be posting them over the next couple of days. Hey, better late than never right?
So beginning today we take a look back at the magic and wonder that was E3 2008. We came up with eight questions and asked 25 different game industry journalists their opinions. We got a great variety of people from sites like Kotaku, Joystiq, Destructoid, GameDaily, GamePro, GameInformer, CheapAssGamer, Game|Life and many others. Reading what people wrote about E3 is great, but hearing what the individual reporters actually thought in the moment is even better. Stay tuned for all eight videos which will be appearing here over the next few days. Hope you enjoy them.
As a total Samba de Amigo virgin, Fruit Brute just had to make sure I enjoyed a moment of festive percussion on the show floor at this year's E3. So the video above shows me not only trying out "Samba de" for the first time, but actually seeing it for the first time, period.
And what a perfect contrast to Wii Music! Here is a game that's easy to pick up, easy to enjoy, and easy to stick with for more than a few minutes. You'll shake your maracas (Wiimote and nunchuck or two Wiimotes) up, down, or to the side as indicated by balls that float from the center of the screen to the up/down/side indicators that hover in a circle on the screen. If you've played DDR or any of the Tap Revolution games on the iPhone, you're already set.
And with 40 included songs like "I Want Candy" and "Are You Going To Be My Girl?" there's plenty of adult/gay/fabulous music for shaking your money maker - and Sega's promised to release DLC of new songs on a "regular basis."
"Hustle mode" adds to the core gameplay by giving you the opportunity to strike a pose or wave your arms according to the on-screen directions, which relieves the need to focus on those hypnotic, rhythmic balls. (!)
Gearbox Games has done a great job bringing this adorable game to the Wii, and while I don't have much to offer in the way of comparisons between this and the Dreamcast version, I can definitely say that as a newcomer, I was immediately sold. It's titles like Samba de Amigo that show misconceived games such as Wii Music how to make a music/rhythm game that's accessible to everyone while still providing a challenge and at least a little relevance.
The important message here is that the guy in the picture above is cute. That's the important message because, despite playing Wii Music with a Nintendo rep guiding me along, I'm unable to pay Wii Music too many compliments. It's not awful, in fact it's pretty cute: unfortunately that's about all it is. There isn't much game there, which is the point after all - to remove the challenge from music games, which are of course all the rage at the moment.
With 50 instruments, Wii Music does a decent job of offering up something for everybody, whether you want to play the bass violin or wear a dog suit and bark. Yes, bark. What Wii Music doesn't do is give most gamers a reason to play for very long - while pressing the buttons of the Wiimote in time to the music is enough to actually hear the song you're trying to play, you won't be penalized for freestyling - you'll just hear musical nonsense.
The Wiimote + nunchuck + Wii Balance Board drumkit combo does look super cool, but I wouldn't bet a game's success on air drums that don't actually require much in the way of skill or even attention.
The song selection so far is also pretty Fisher-Price (don't hate me, it's the most accurate and concise description I've got) - I "played" the Super Mario Bros. theme and "Turkey In The Straw," and while cutesy, it was a far cry from rocking out to "Psycho Killer" on Rock Band 2.
I give Wii Music strong points for originality and for taking music games to its target audience, and while this year's Nintendo showings seemed to forget their core gaming audience entirely, Wii Music will be a fun few minutes for non-gaming mothers and very young children. But for adults and more "gamey" gamers, I don't see it being worth the cost. Keep your duckets safe for Wii Sports Resort if a second-cycle, first-party Nintendo Wii game is on your wish list.
