We had a larger crew for the newest broadcast of the BlueGamer Bluecast. This crew consisted of two new voices that haven't been on before. This chemistry created the funniest gaming podcast I've heard in a long time - and it happens to be my very own show.

Because of how fun it was to do it, and how positive of a reaction it had, this current crew is permanent. It's live Saturday's from 5-7pm cst at http://www.inthefaceradio.com and available for download as a podcast the next day. You can even call in during the live show if you want. What's odd about this group is that Pat doesn't play games. He knows of them - but he can just add to the conversations so well.

We talk about Mount & Blade, Splinter Cell, Silent Hunter V, various mods, and a little bit of old school gaming. But if you don't like it...what could be done differently? I miss GFW Radio!

From http://www.bluegamer.net

I like David Jaffe. He has been involved with some of the most kick-ass games. God of War is a favorite of mine, and most likely everyone in the industry since all these GoW clones have been popping up. Yeah, he didn’t invent that gameplay, but he reinvented it into something fresh that everyone wants a piece of. Him, among other developers, I follow on Twitter. Gaming is my hobby and this hobby goes straight into the industry as well. I like to know all of it; what developers have in store, what they are thinking, etc.

Jaffe’s previous game, a PSN only title known as Calling All Cars didn’t seem to do too well. It got some decent scores, and sparked some controversy, but it pretty much disappeared after release. Get this: It was exclusive to the Playstation Network and released May of 2007. Doesn’t that suck?

Afterwards, Jaffe founded Eat Sleep Play. The perfect move to get out of Sony and develop for all platforms! But, either Jaffe is getting big bucks from Sony, or he is just really devoted to the platform because his new dev house has signed a multi-year contract with Sony. I’m not a gaming developer nor are any of the big three throwing money in my face, but I’ve been planning on putting together a SHMUP that I would love to see released on all major platforms. Wii Ware, PSN, XBLA, Steam, Impulse, etc. This way, everyone has a chance to play it. Bobby, being 9, only got an 360 for his birthday – he won’t be getting any other consoles anytime soon. So, I’d like him to also have a chance to play it. Maybe there are hidden costs to that massive kind of distribution? Either way, let me get to my point.

In a recent Tweet made by the Jaffe, he was comparing Judd Apatow and Funny People with himself and Calling All Cars. To me it sounded like he was calling the game a failure – which it is not. Especially since he expected high praise for it in the first place. The problem is such a great developer is limited to one platform – a platform that didn’t have the numbers to warrant exposure. So, I would hope he would never refer to his title as a failure. Maybe I was mistaken though.

While I do understand that Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo work at having their own exclusive big sellers, I’m also sure there are great developers out there that really want to share their craft. Especially someone as devoted and vocal as Jaffe. He sure was excited hearing about the PS3 price drop, as his Twitter post seemed to indicate. This means, potentially, a wider audience. That’s great news for him. But is he not interested in getting more exposure? That’s where I’m confused . . . but, you know how money is, right? And with so many successful games, why would Sony want to lose him? Either way, good luck to him, and no Calling All Cars is not a failure.

From http://www.bluegamer.net

Adam:

I wrote my thoughts down recently about Sonic going from 2D to 3D, and how it worked – or didn’t. Very few games can transition into that realm. Mario did it only because it transitioned being revolutionary in 2D to 3D. Bionic Commando is a Nintendo game from the 80’s that I barely even remember playing (got my refresher course from Grin’s ‘Rearmed’, which totally rocked). The announcement of a 3D version from Grin just made me think ’shoot-em-up’. What else would they do? I figure I’d play it because I like the idea of grappling around and shooting. Grappling hooks rock. Right next to zombies and jet-packs.

Right away, Bionic Commando felt just like it should in 3D. You’re pretty much on a linear path you follow through in short sections with enemies in specific places. Incorporating the grapple and small health bar really gave the game a challenge reminiscent of those 8-bit and 16-bit games. You almost have to memorize sections so when you go back, you can dominate efficiently and feel rewarded for it. This is pretty much a description of the gameplay. But what do I think about it?

Well, it works. It’s also very refreshing. I don’t feel like I’m playing any ordinary 3rd person shooter here. There are a few weapons in the game with very limited ammo. The game makes you think about when you use what, and how. With the bionic arm, you have the option of hand-to-hand or throwing items at enemies – or enemies at enemies. There’s a wide variety of combat here which is each limited on when and how you can use it. This is what adds the simple depth that current games ignore. The swinging mechanic is very fun. As it’s difficult to master yet rewarding when pulled off. There are a few times though when frustration sets in. The game isn’t forgiving, so timing with the swinging has to be spot on. Trust me, you’ll say ‘fuck’ just like most of the characters in the game.

The story here is good, as is the dialog – even as cheesy as it is. I think they were trying to pull of the cheesiness found in the 80’s version, and, well, they nailed it. The story wasn’t shoved down your throat and you could simply ignore it if you wanted to. But I enjoyed what was there. The music in this game is great. Rocking when it needs to be, or dramatic when it’s called for. The sound effects themselves weren’t anything spectacular, but they did their job.

The graphics here are good. Early screenshots looked better, but as I’ve said before: consoles don’t have the resolutions found in screenshots. The character models and designs are good, as are the backgrounds; make sure to stop and look into the distance. But don’t train your eyes on explosions. They are the weak link to the visuals.

Multi-player. Unfortunately I have not touched online play on the retail copy. I did though play the online demo, which was an absolute blast. It’s nothing that will replace Battlefield or Call of Duty, but I guarentee I will purchase the game if I see it in the bargain bin. But, wait – does that mean the game is not worth it now?

Conclusion: Bionic Commando is worth playing right now. If you have the funds, you might as well buy. Replaying it for collectibles and achievements will only be fun. If funds aren’t free-flowing for you, rent it. And it just might be your kind of multiplayer.

Sean:

Bionic Commando is a very short game. It took me five hours to finish it on hard and it wasn’t hard. The graphics are good. Swinging around is fun and easy. My favorite move is swinging your arm around and killing everyone near you. I killed eight people while doing that, it was awesome. The best part of the game is:

From my blog @ http://www.bluegamer.net

I just stumbled upon an Industry Gamers article, where in an interview with Sega of America’s Sean Ratcliffe, the VP of Marketing admits the quality of Sonic games of recent haven’t been any good. He goes on to point out that the die-hard Sonic fans (me included) loved the daytime levels in Sonic Unleashed. They are, in my opinion, the best Sonic levels in the series. Now, I will admit that 2005’s Sonic the Hedgehog was crap – I’m not sure what actually happened there. Sonic 2005 had terrible controls, graphic glitches, and a sloppy camera. It’s those elements the made the game turn out poor, and just left a bad taste in every gamers mouth. Now, how that could have happened after the Adventure series is unknown. Did the team have limited funding? Were they rushed? In the end, it wasn’t worth it and now we’re stuck with dual personalities.

Sonic can continue in 3D. Just as the fans have pointed out, and Sega recognizes, they need to focus on the daytime elements from Unleashed. A game based around that would be great. But, wait – that’s what the Adventure series was all about! Where’s Sonic Adventure 3? I’m pretty sure that’s what we’re all waiting for. The interview went on to touch on the success of 2D games. New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Sonic on iPhone, and XBLA, PSN, Virtual Console success. A proper 2D Sonic sequel could potentially happen and be successful. But if so, I wouldn’t want Sega to focus on that forget about the 3D Sonic. I really, really, want a Sonic Adventure 3.

Now as a marketing VP, what is he looking at? In the gaming market, with how much it is currently booming, who is the majority? I would assume Sonic fans are the minority. And it’s the majority’s needs after the 2005 Sonic that made Sega retool the franchise. That’s why we got a Werehog that plays similar to a beat-em-up. Originally, Unleashed was going to be SA3, but the designers really wanted to expand on the Werehog element, which led to it being its own game.

So I don’t think Sonic necessarily needs to be fixed, but Sega needs to grab the working elements and run with it. Unfortunately, if the market’s majority wants something fresh, Sonic may never survive 3D, and be stuck in 2D. That wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, but it just leaves me without an SA3.

Sometimes, as good as a game may be, it will frustrate you until you give up. Such is the case with Ninja Blade. It is a fun and simple game, yet, from the start of a specific level until (most likely) the end, I was stuck in a room that was pitch black, requiring my Ninja Vision ability. Unfortunatley this ability wears off and you have to wait for it to recharge. Because of this, I was stuck in the room for sometime. At one point, I decided to take a break, but paused the game since leaving would just start me at the beginning of the level. I don’t feel like doing that. I then proceeded to watch a movie on my PS3 (Sundown – it has to be seen to be believed) but unfortunately, my universal remote accidently shutdown the 360. At that point, I said ‘fuck Ninja Blade’. I’d continue if it wasn’t for the fact that I have so many games I want to play. I’ll have to revisit it later.

Has that happened to you?

This week I Screenshock the new images released for the new Sith Edition of The Force Unleashed. The following shot includes the last of a lineage of Jedi that performed a head-butt during battle. I say last because the technique didn’t really work.



What I gather is the game is being re-released with new content, including previous DLC. What I also gather but still cannot compute properly, is that the rerelease will also feature some kick-ass content that will not be available as DLC. That sucks. I, for one, enjoyed the game. I recognized its faults but still found it to be a ton of fun. I want to play through the DLC (waiting for price-cut), and would love to play these new missions, but to buy the game again…I just don’t know. On top of that, there will apparently be some more DLC. For the fastest-selling Star Wars game of all time, why don’t you milk it?