Tag: archive

Chobot out of sight; not out of mind?

Thanks, IGN, for the bombardment of Chobot imagery. I mean I’ve seen the infamous PSP image, and what regular of gamer blogs or forums hasn’t? And now that she’s been working for IGN… oy. She’s all over the place.

The pinnacle of this over-exposure to Chobot has led to her appearing at my workplace. Of all places on the planet, I see her as I’m walking past a row of cubicles, sitting in one of the currently vacant spots. She was typing away on some mini laptop (probably a freakishly small Mac). Normally I wouldn’t give a second glance, but as I’m passing she turns and looks off to the side at something. I fixed on her for a second, but my tendency to not stare at women (they get rather uppity about it) kept me walkin’ down the aisle.

Did I see Chobot? Was it all in my mind? Have I caught on to the secret invasion of Chobot clones?

Largest game queue you’ll ever see

2004 and 2005 were lean years for me when it comes to games. I’d been a full-time game tester for a year when the summer of ‘05 rolled around and let me just say that playing the same game day after day for months can really kill the gamer spirit. But I was then promoted to marketing, where I rarely touch a controller during business hours.

With the boost in pay and more time on my hands I decided to pick up a few of the games I’d missed… and, well, the result is now a queue of over 30 games that are sitting on my desk, bookshelf, or on my hard drive, not to mention the tons of demos scattered about the place. Here’s the list, acquired between September 2005 and now:

God of War (completed) Killer 7 (completed) 24: The Game (completed) 50 Cent Bulletproof (completed) Drakengard 2 (completed) Shadow of the Colossus (completed) The Warriors (completed) Psychonauts (completed) Hulk Ultimate Destruction (completed) Gish (played a few levels) Samorost 2 (played a level or two) Abuse (not yet played) Wik and the Fable of Souls (not yet played) Jazz Jackrabbit (not yet played) Spiderman 2 (unopened) Gun (unopened) Metal Gear Solid 3 (unopened) We Love Katamari (unopened) Cold Winter (unopened) Darkwatch (unopened) Leisure Suit Larry Magna Cum Laude (unopened) Ice Age 2 The Meltdown (unopened) Empire Earth 2 (unopened) Empire Earth 2 Expansion (unopened) Kingdom Hearts 2 (unopened) The X-Files Resist or Serve (unopened) GTA: Liberty City Stories (unopened) Crash Tag Team Racing (unopened) The Sacred Amulet (unopened) Half-Life 2 (unopened) Ground Control 2 (unopened) Aliens vs. Predator 2 (unopened) F.E.A.R. (unopened) World of Warcraft (unopened) Jurassic Park Operation Genesis (unopened) Heart of Darkness (unopened) Out of This World (unopened) Eternal Darkness Sanity’s Requiem (unopened) Metal Arms Glitch in the System (unopened)

The most recent completion is 24: The Game. I became a fan of the show via the syndicated episodes of season 1, and as many reviews have said it definitely caters to the hardcore fans. All of the characters play great roles in the game (albeit some of the in-game models look either fatter or more deformed than their real-life counterparts), and I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of 3rd person shooter, mini games/puzzles, and driving sequences that fill in the many missions. I’d give it a 7.3/10.

Largest game queue you’ll ever see

2004 and 2005 were lean years for me when it comes to games. I’d been a full-time game tester for a year when the summer of ‘05 rolled around and let me just say that playing the same game day after day for months can really kill the gamer spirit. But I was then promoted to marketing, where I rarely touch a controller during business hours.

With the boost in pay and more time on my hands I decided to pick up a few of the games I’d missed… and, well, the result is now a queue of over 30 games that are sitting on my desk, bookshelf, or on my hard drive, not to mention the tons of demos scattered about the place. Here’s the list, acquired between September 2005 and now:

God of War (completed) Killer 7 (completed) 24: The Game (completed) 50 Cent Bulletproof (completed) Drakengard 2 (completed) Shadow of the Colossus (completed) The Warriors (completed) Psychonauts (completed) Hulk Ultimate Destruction (completed) Gish (played a few levels) Samorost 2 (played a level or two) Abuse (not yet played) Wik and the Fable of Souls (not yet played) Jazz Jackrabbit (not yet played) Spiderman 2 (unopened) Gun (unopened) Metal Gear Solid 3 (unopened) We Love Katamari (unopened) Cold Winter (unopened) Darkwatch (unopened) Leisure Suit Larry Magna Cum Laude (unopened) Ice Age 2 The Meltdown (unopened) Empire Earth 2 (unopened) Empire Earth 2 Expansion (unopened) Kingdom Hearts 2 (unopened) The X-Files Resist or Serve (unopened) GTA: Liberty City Stories (unopened) Crash Tag Team Racing (unopened) The Sacred Amulet (unopened) Half-Life 2 (unopened) Ground Control 2 (unopened) Aliens vs. Predator 2 (unopened) F.E.A.R. (unopened) World of Warcraft (unopened) Jurassic Park Operation Genesis (unopened) Heart of Darkness (unopened) Out of This World (unopened) Eternal Darkness Sanity’s Requiem (unopened) Metal Arms Glitch in the System (unopened)

The most recent completion is 24: The Game. I became a fan of the show via the syndicated episodes of season 1, and as many reviews have said it definitely caters to the hardcore fans. All of the characters play great roles in the game (albeit some of the in-game models look either fatter or more deformed than their real-life counterparts), and I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of 3rd person shooter, mini games/puzzles, and driving sequences that fill in the many missions. I’d give it a 7.3/10.

The ball is in EA’s court (again)

I’ll merely mention the fact that I’m a big fan of The Simpsons television show. It’s fairly obvious. Beyond that, however, I admire the resilience and potential of the IP. Any license that could be as pimped out as The Simpsons was in the early 90s and still sell products today is something for any business man to admire. Not that I’m a business man nor do I desire to become one, but having worked among them for some time has given me a sense for that side of the biz.

Now we move into the video games sector. Simpsons games have steadily streamed into the market since the show started and save for a few memorable games the majority have been rated from average to lame. However in 2001 Radical Entertainment reinvigorated the license with Simpsons Road Rage, and then Simpsons Hit & Run in 2003. They, for lack of a better phrase, saved the day. And Simpsons Hit & Run in turn put the developer on the map. When VU Games purchased the development studio the two companies seemed poised to continue developing great Simpsons games, or at least a guarenteed hit with a sequel to Hit & Run. I and other Simpsons game fans waited for word that another game was officially in development, but it never came.

With that said I’ll enlighten anyone who hasn’t heard the news: EA, mega game publisher based in the (boring) middle of California, signed a deal with FOX to develop several games based on the The Simpsons.

While it’s good to hear that The Simpsons will continue on following the post-Hit & Run silence, EA’s track record with Simpsons games (the mediocre to bad Simpsons Skateboarding and the average to excellent Simpsons Road Rage) is up in the air. I suppose the point of this nonsense is a message to EA:

Dear EA,

I’ll be first in line to fork over the green and buy any Simpsons game you release, so do not screw me over with a crappy title.

Thanks.

P.S.: How’s about we get fully playable versions of Larry the Looter or Escape from Death Row?

The ball is in EA’s court (again)

I’ll merely mention the fact that I’m a big fan of The Simpsons television show. It’s fairly obvious. Beyond that, however, I admire the resilience and potential of the IP. Any license that could be as pimped out as The Simpsons was in the early 90s and still sell products today is something for any business man to admire. Not that I’m a business man nor do I desire to become one, but having worked among them for some time has given me a sense for that side of the biz.

Now we move into the video games sector. Simpsons games have steadily streamed into the market since the show started and save for a few memorable games the majority have been rated from average to lame. However in 2001 Radical Entertainment reinvigorated the license with Simpsons Road Rage, and then Simpsons Hit & Run in 2003. They, for lack of a better phrase, saved the day. And Simpsons Hit & Run in turn put the developer on the map. When VU Games purchased the development studio the two companies seemed poised to continue developing great Simpsons games, or at least a guarenteed hit with a sequel to Hit & Run. I and other Simpsons game fans waited for word that another game was officially in development, but it never came.

With that said I’ll enlighten anyone who hasn’t heard the news: EA, mega game publisher based in the (boring) middle of California, signed a deal with FOX to develop several games based on the The Simpsons.

While it’s good to hear that The Simpsons will continue on following the post-Hit & Run silence, EA’s track record with Simpsons games (the mediocre to bad Simpsons Skateboarding and the average to excellent Simpsons Road Rage) is up in the air. I suppose the point of this nonsense is a message to EA:

Dear EA,

I’ll be first in line to fork over the green and buy any Simpsons game you release, so do not screw me over with a crappy title.

Thanks.

P.S.: How’s about we get fully playable versions of Larry the Looter or Escape from Death Row?

Bring Back the Classics

I thought I’d contribute something more constructive than a kiss ass “good job, guys!”. If any IGN dudes read this, please feel free to forward the link to Rupert’s crew.

Acclaim was once a giant among video game publishers. Founded in 1987, the game publisher and developer became most noted for developing games based on a few original properties (such as Turok) and a plethora of games based on existing entertainment franchises including WWF Wrestling, South Park, and of course our beloved Simpsons.

Now as we all know, Acclaim filed for bankruptcy some time ago and all company assets were sold off. Although many games and series were sold in an initial sale, over 200 remaining game properties remain unsold in an auction taking place in New York. Included in the auction are the many Simpsons games they published (the entire Simpsons package is currently at $7,500). Check out the full list at www.maltzauctions.com/acclaimip.htm.

Needless to say, I was more than tempted to call them up and ask if I could place a bid right then and there. The Simpsons classic games are a good lot as a whole, and just owning the right to those games would be a fanboy’s dream. But, if I were to purchase the rights to those games in some alternate reality, I’m sure I’d get the buyer’s remorse only a few minutes after seeing my empty bank accounts.

So given that, let’s work in the realm of reality. FOX owns the rights to the characters and content. The winner of that auction would need to make a deal with FOX in order to even consider selling or doing anything other than having the materials sitting in a cabinet. The ideal scenario would be for Fox Interactive (or whatever division handles their interactive content) to purchase the entire lot at $7,500 and then make a deal with a publisher to create a classics compilation, similar to what Capcom and Midway have been doing in recent years. It’s certainly possible now that FOX and EA have entered a deal to create Simpsons games on next-gen systems.

But the real question is will the people buy it. Although I as a fan can’t imagine not buying such an awesome collection, the more casual gamers and those who actually remember the games are sure to come out with the “Simpsons games suck” tirade that is all too common when discussing Simpsons games. I hold fast to my opinion that the Simpsons games were never the greatest or most innovative but were good for a few hours of fun. I can see not buying a game like that for $50 when it was first released, but imagine a compilation of nearly 20 games that are spead across all platforms. Every version of Bart vs. the Space Mutants, all of the Game Boy exclusive releases, even the Krusty and Itchy & Scratchy games. There would have to be some legal tailoring when dealing with games that were released on various consoles, but FOX is no slouch in the legal badgering department. Add to all that a price tag of $20 and some nifty extra features (production art, concept sketches, scanned instruction manuals viewable in the game) and you’ll have a package that even the most jaded gamer would pick up. If the Midway Arcade Treasures collections can sell over 1.5 million units, I think a Simpsons collection (a far more recognizable brand than most, if not all, of Midway’s properties) would do OK.

Now if we can just get Konami to throw Simpsons Arcade into the mix we’ll have ourselves some sweet Simpsons action.

Bring Back the Classics

I thought I’d contribute something more constructive than a kiss ass “good job, guys!”. If any IGN dudes read this, please feel free to forward the link to Rupert’s crew.

Acclaim was once a giant among video game publishers. Founded in 1987, the game publisher and developer became most noted for developing games based on a few original properties (such as Turok) and a plethora of games based on existing entertainment franchises including WWF Wrestling, South Park, and of course our beloved Simpsons.

Now as we all know, Acclaim filed for bankruptcy some time ago and all company assets were sold off. Although many games and series were sold in an initial sale, over 200 remaining game properties remain unsold in an auction taking place in New York. Included in the auction are the many Simpsons games they published (the entire Simpsons package is currently at $7,500). Check out the full list at www.maltzauctions.com/acclaimip.htm.

Needless to say, I was more than tempted to call them up and ask if I could place a bid right then and there. The Simpsons classic games are a good lot as a whole, and just owning the right to those games would be a fanboy’s dream. But, if I were to purchase the rights to those games in some alternate reality, I’m sure I’d get the buyer’s remorse only a few minutes after seeing my empty bank accounts.

So given that, let’s work in the realm of reality. FOX owns the rights to the characters and content. The winner of that auction would need to make a deal with FOX in order to even consider selling or doing anything other than having the materials sitting in a cabinet. The ideal scenario would be for Fox Interactive (or whatever division handles their interactive content) to purchase the entire lot at $7,500 and then make a deal with a publisher to create a classics compilation, similar to what Capcom and Midway have been doing in recent years. It’s certainly possible now that FOX and EA have entered a deal to create Simpsons games on next-gen systems.

But the real question is will the people buy it. Although I as a fan can’t imagine not buying such an awesome collection, the more casual gamers and those who actually remember the games are sure to come out with the “Simpsons games suck” tirade that is all too common when discussing Simpsons games. I hold fast to my opinion that the Simpsons games were never the greatest or most innovative but were good for a few hours of fun. I can see not buying a game like that for $50 when it was first released, but imagine a compilation of nearly 20 games that are spead across all platforms. Every version of Bart vs. the Space Mutants, all of the Game Boy exclusive releases, even the Krusty and Itchy & Scratchy games. There would have to be some legal tailoring when dealing with games that were released on various consoles, but FOX is no slouch in the legal badgering department. Add to all that a price tag of $20 and some nifty extra features (production art, concept sketches, scanned instruction manuals viewable in the game) and you’ll have a package that even the most jaded gamer would pick up. If the Midway Arcade Treasures collections can sell over 1.5 million units, I think a Simpsons collection (a far more recognizable brand than most, if not all, of Midway’s properties) would do OK.

Now if we can just get Konami to throw Simpsons Arcade into the mix we’ll have ourselves some sweet Simpsons action.

FAQ WRITER OF THE WEEK: TRUESUBSANE

BY HILARY GOLDSTEIN -> The unheralded heroes of the gaming world, FAQ writers trade their late nights for bragging rights simply to say that their walkthroughs, their secrets, their perfect paths through what seem like impossible missions work best. And what rewards do these slaves to countless pixels and polygons seek or receive? The knowledge that their sleepless nights detailing every last hidden item help gamers in desperate need of completing 100% of every game.

But here at IGN, we say enough with the gushy feelings and e-mail “thank you’s” being all these tireless and sometimes tortured gaming souls receive. That’s why we started the FAQ Writer of the Week. Every week IGN will pick the person we see as the best FAQ writer going and reward them with two games off of his or her wish list. But that’s not all. We also feel that it’s important for gamers to get to know these writers, the very ones that have helped them out of so many jams in the past. That’s why every week we’ll also sit down and talk to the Writer of the Week so you can get to know the person, and not just their moves.

Obsession. It’s an epidemic among geeks like you and me. Video game addicts often become obsessed about a particular character (Oh, Luigi is so handsome!), or a system (I only play teh PlayStation One!), or a movie franchise (One day, I too will be Dark Lord of the Sith). This week’s honorary FAQ writer is obsessed with a TV show – The Simpsons. In fact, he’s so obsessed, he’s written FAQs for every Simpson’s game out there! Check out this interview with TrueSubSane and get your fill of Simpsons gab.

—

IGN: You write yourself an endless amount of Simpsons FAQs. Do you play every Simpson game that’s released?

TrueSubSane: I wouldn’t be much a Simpsons game fanatic if I didn’t. Yea, I’ve played ‘em all.

IGN: What would you say is the best?

TrueSubSane: Heh, the best? That narrows it down quite a bit.

IGN: How about, which one sucked the least?

TrueSubSane: Ah, got ya. Road Rage and Simpsons Arcade are the top two, and I’m sure most people would agree. But I’ll go with Simpsons Arcade.

IGN: If most of the Simpsons games suck, why do you not only play them all, but write FAQs for them?

TrueSubSane: It’s a niche kinda thing. Everything has a fan no matter what, ya know? Crappy bands, films, etc. But I noticed no one pays mind to the Simpsons video games. I’m a huge fan of the show, and frankly I was appalled.

IGN: So writing FAQs is your way of drawing attention to the games?

TrueSubSane: In a way, yes. Though it didn’t start that way.

IGN: How did it start?

TrueSubSane: Oh, with Bartman Meets Radioactive Man. The game needed a FAQ, and I had just purchased the game the week before. Bingo bango, my FAQing career begins.

IGN: Are you gonna keep doing Simpson FAQs until you’re old and gray?

TrueSubSane: My man, I’ll keep writing FAQs for Simpsons games as long as greedy ol’ FOX keeps making them. No reason or logic behind it. I just will.

IGN: What about the Futurama game? Are you Simpsons exclusive, or do you plan on branching out to all Groening projects?

TrueSubSane: That’s a tough one. I think Hit and Run comes out around the same time, and I do have other, non-Simpsons projects. If life allows it, maybe.

IGN: Favorite Simpsons character?

TrueSubSane: Dude. Any fat, bald guy that can be as popular (and funny) as Homer gets my respect. So, Homer.

IGN: Do you aspire to be him? Not fat and bald, but as far as his life philosophy, do you try to be Homer?

TrueSubSane: Aspire? I am Homer! I’ve coasted through a lot of stuff in life, and had a great time doing it. Though my girlfriend says I am getting a bit too chubby. Need to work on that.

IGN: Favorite Homer moment?

TrueSubSane: Favorite Homer moment? Man… I guess in the episode where he hates gay people. Not a moment, just the whole episode was hilarious. I mean I could list who knows how many favorite moments.

IGN: Does your girlfriend aspire to be a simpson’s character?

TrueSubSane: I’m not sure. Though she is a dead-on Lisa. Always complaining, vegetarian, telling people they’re doing the wrong thing.

IGN: But not 8 years old, right?

TrueSubSane: Nice direction you took that. Nah, not that young. No, she acts just as mature and nosy as Lisa.

IGN: There’s been a few big changes to characters over the past few years, the biggest being that Maude Flanders died and that Barney quit drinking. Are you down with those kind of changes that resonate through the rest of the series or do you wish Maude was back and Barney was a lush from start to finish?

TrueSubSane: Yea, what was up with all that? Anyway, it’s tough with a show like The Simpsons. They’re going into season 15, and things change after that much time. I know the woman who does Maude’s voice left, as have other people. As for Barney’s sobriety… I can’t dig that. They basically killed what made him funny.

IGN: Exactly. He’s sort of useless now.

TrueSubSane: They should have him fall off the wagon (or is it get on the wagon?), for the last season. A finale sort of deal.

IGN: The show’s been on for a long, long time. It’s the longest running sitcom of all time and they plan on doing a couple more years. Where do you think the show stands now? Is it as funny as it ever was? Funnier? Not so good?

TrueSubSane: No, it’s definitely not as good as those middle years. Yes, there are still jokes. But that’s the thing. They’ll have one or two funny jokes in an episode, while back in the day the whole episode had you cracking up. I mean there are good episodes, just not as many great episodes as there used to be. But I am only one fan, and I’m certain there are tons of people who have different opinions.

IGN: What would make for the perfect Simpsons game?

TrueSubSane: I’ve actually thought about that to an unhealthy degree. A completely interactive 3-D Springfield is the main thing. Virtual Springfield had the right idea, but it was all on rails. They could make playable episodes, an FPS game, whatever.

IGN: Maybe like a Sims Simpsons?

TrueSubSane: Is The Sims like that? Never played it. Just the concept of being able to walk around freely, from Evergreen Terrace to Moe’s Tavern to the SNPP. I really am surprised they haven’t done it yet, but I have to check out Hit and Run first. You know, Hit and Run is on my wish list… *wink*

IGN: There’s been talk that once the series if over, Groening wants to make a Simpsons movie. Do you think that’s a good idea, or do you think the Simpsons can’t make it on the big screen?

TrueSubSane: Well, it will make it. Believe me. Is it a good idea? I’d say it is.

IGN: Why?

TrueSubSane: Simpsons fans have been waiting for a Simpsons movie for along time, and Groening and FOX know it. It will be the swan song for the series. They have some great writers over there, and I trust they can write a good film.

—

A special thanks for the good words from TrueSubSane. Check out his work here and read all about the many Simpsons games waiting for you.