Growing up with technology gains one a reputation; labeled as ‘nerds’ and ‘geeks’, we trudge on, keeping up with technology with almost mythic levels of dogged determination. We shrug the name-calling aside; orn as is more often the case these days, we accept these labels, opting to wear them as badges of honour.
So it has been a little while now, and I have noticed that the comments have all but disappeared, even though readership seems to be actually increasing. I am interested to know how we are doing as a site; what is working; what we can do better; are there really too few photos of Jackson on here?
It’s a sad fact that more people check out the Professor Layton Deleted Scenes than any other article on this site. I think I know why - It’s not because reading full articles is hard to do so much that the Deleted Scenes are freaking awesome.
So with that in mind, we’ve got some new ones from Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, and they’re somewhere on the site. If you can find them, you can see how this comic up top ends.
Admittedly, I am a wordy bastard. So it’s never hard for me to write endlessly on nearly any subject regardless of how ignorant about it I may be. I find the real challenge is in deciding what is or isn’t worth writing about. It’s a hard question, and one that was once the challenge of journalism - forced to make a decision about the importance of information because of the limited space available for those old methods of delivery. But today there is no end to news, and every piece of information is seen as relevant one way or another. So maybe I’m stressing over nothing.
EA recently showed off their fancy new cover art for the upcoming Pandemic title, The Saboteur. And I have to admit that it is probably one of the best I’ve seen in awhile. I’m not the first to suggest that game covers are generally terrible and unimaginative eye sores that meld into one hideous retina repulsing lump on the store shelf, and I won’t be the last. Since EA has contributed to this problem with some merriment over the years, it seems reasonable that they were about due for something worth praising. But I don’t really feel that I have anything relevant to add to this conversation, and so I was very unenthusiastic when asked to spin together an article about it. Ultimately there were two factors that changed my mind. The first, and most important, was that no one had signed my cheque yet this week. The second was that I came across another post, which claimed to list the forty best game covers of all time. That’s a pretty significant claim. But giving the list a once over, it seems to have been largely assembled by someone who went as far as the nearest GameStop and glanced around at the walls for twenty minutes.
So with that in mind, I figure I can put about as much effort into this by walking over to my own shelves to see what catches my eye today. Enticed? Read on!
This year has already seen some long-awaited game releases and yet there are still several unknown variables in predicting just how the rest of this year will unfold. Just how many lofty projects will be pushed farther away from our eager thumbs? Obviously there are numerous reasons why projects are delayed and information regarding this is sometimes scarce. The primary one is that developers enjoy our suffering, and in some cases have found new ways to subsist off of both our tears and agony.
As tribute to this lack of information, we’ve rounded up the titles that are most often discussed at the office in theoretical terms, because we remain completely ignorant as to the real details and are forced to imagine how ridiculously fantastic these games could be.
Greetings listeners, er, readers… This is the Manic Gamer! In written form, no less. I would have preferred to deliver another spectacular radio broadcast to you loyal members of the gaming underground, but it seems the ever-sensitive city of Toronto is on full alert, cracking down on the type of offensive game-related anarchy that is disintegrating our culture, which I revel in bringing to you whenever possible. Delicious isn’t it? And since they haven’t caught on to my system of carrier pigeons quite yet, I have found the means to send thoroughly researched but hastily written notes that I’m sure someone at Toronto Thumbs will make semi-legible in time to publish.
And while I’ve got your attention let me pose the question that burns within me today, does anyone remember Chrono Trigger? I mean do you really remember? Do you remember how it brought together that “dream team” of talent from archrivals Square and Enix? And considering what resulted from that experiment, shouldn’t the merger of those two companies have since resulted in a gaming renaissance? But it hasn’t really worked out that way has it? And I for one, felt challenged to find out why.
And do not mess with me when I’m playing as Blanka. Trust me. You will lose.
Street Fighter IV is out now and I’m still not done with Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, which is also known as The Game With the Most Ostentatious Title of 2008.
Red is a vibrant colour. Gray, not so much. Red is the colour of blood, of passion, of life. Gray, not so much. Red is the colour Nintendo’s logo used to be. Now, it is gray. While it still looks the same, minus a whole lot of yellow and magenta on the print colour wheel, I will always think of the red logo when thinking of Nintendo. Is the move from vibrate red to dull gray just a stylistic one, or do you think there’s a certain amount of symbolism regarding the company’s current direction of resting on its laurels and not actually trying anything new?
And remember when Optimus Prime died in the only Transformers movie that’s worth a damn? He turned from bright red to gray upon death!
Whatever your thoughts may be on this matter, I’m glad the “racetrack” logo is intact save for this palette swap. And I’ll still continue to be a fan of the big N, hoping for more ambitious and groundbreaking times for the company.
