http://nowgamer.com/blogs/rssLatest NowGamer Blogsen-ukCopyright 2010, Imagine Publishinghttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/351/i-hated-heavy-rain-before-i-even-played-it-now-ive-finished-it-andThere might be spoilers in this, if you didn't already guess that. Last night I finished Heavy Rain and later today I will be writing a J'Accuse on it. Regular readers of Play magazine will know that J'Accuse is a regular feature in which a widely celebrated kicking at the hands of someone writing under a bizarre pseudonym. It's a just a bit of a fun really, and is no way intended to undermine the positive review we've given the game. Plus, it can be a chance to vent.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/351/i-hated-heavy-rain-before-i-even-played-it-now-ive-finished-it-andhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/350/splinter-cell-conviction-has-the-best-cover-system-weve-ever-seenWhen is comes to games journalism, there's a lot of useless crap out there. I'm not in any way sectioning myself off from that. I'm as guilty as the next man; "I love this game, but such and such hates it". Even today, my own opinions on White Knight Chronicles have flown in the face of the common hegemony among all of the games magazines which operate out of this office, who largely shun it - that the game is actually rather brilliant.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/350/splinter-cell-conviction-has-the-best-cover-system-weve-ever-seenhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/347/level-headedHave you levelled up recently? This fundamental ingredient has been around since the inception of the RPG genre, but what does it really signify and does it make sense?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/347/level-headedhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/346/games-tm-review-scoreshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/346/games-tm-review-scoreshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/iain-lee/345/decision-timeI have a spare room in my flat known as 'The Museum'. It's a wonderful place full of consoles and gaming machines from the past. I don't play with them as much as I should, but for me, part of the fun is collecting them and just knowing they are there. The ownership of the thing is equally, if not more important than the playing of them.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/iain-lee/345/decision-timehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/344/move-any-mountainThe announcement of the PlayStation Move (a subject on which we'll be expounding upon in greater detail as we discover over time how developers intend use it in contrast to Microsoft's Natal) got us musing about its possible impact on the growth and dominance of the FPS on 360.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/344/move-any-mountainhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/343/core-memoryI was in New Orleans studying Economics and Mathematics at Tulane University (minored in theatre too). I was planning on following in the footsteps of Sir Mick Jagger and attending the London School of Economics, only not dropping out to become a rock star. Although that can be a wise career choice. I walked into a sandwich shoppe for lunch and there I saw my first coin-op game console... Space Invaders. I took one look and knew instantly this was going to be very big. I did not think for a moment, however, that I would become as involved with it as I did.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/343/core-memoryhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/342/bad-guys-finish-firstThis may be a little behind the times we're aware, but ploughing through the quite excellent original Mass Effect of late has highlighted various inevitabilities regarding the human condition. For the same reason that Tails the fox was often deliberately propelled to his spiky doom via the addition of a second controller, or Virtua Fighter characters were always forced into that additional ground slam (causing them to pratfall face fist out of the ring), it's hard to resist playing the bad guy. http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/342/bad-guys-finish-firsthttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/341/core-memoryLeonardo DiCaprio is a name I never thought would appear in this column. But there it is. Nolan Bushnell is a name that makes total sense in this column. So, other than name-dropping, what's my point?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/341/core-memoryhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/340/call-of-duty-market-warfareWell, Activision's finally come out and made an official statement about one or two things. While it partly covers the 'were they? Weren't they? fired' shennanigans of yesterday - and yes, says the statement, Jason West and Vince Zampella have officially gone - things take a turn for the interesting, or horrifying, depending on your perspective, when you learn the details of Activision's further plans for the Call of Duty series.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/340/call-of-duty-market-warfarehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/339/top-5-console-faults-of-all-timeIn honour of Sony's potentially catastrophic failure to put a fully functioning clock inside early models of the PS3, I've decided to put together this Top 5 of the worst console faults of all time, just to put things in perspective. At the time of writing it's unclear whether the PS3mageddon bug has been fixed by Sony or has simply righted itself. Either way, the panic is over and we can all laugh about it now.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/339/top-5-console-faults-of-all-timehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/iain-lee/337/decision-timeI have a spare room in my flat known as 'The Museum'. It's a wonderful place full of consoles and gaming machines from the past. I don't play with them as much as I should, but for me, part of the fun is collecting them and just knowing they are there. The ownership of the thing is equally, if not more important than the playing of them. With a possible move on the way, I have to clear out a lot of stuff. And it was with a heavy heart that I looked around The Museum earlier today to try and decide what should go and what had to stay.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/iain-lee/337/decision-timehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/335/core-memoryhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/335/core-memoryhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/336/ps3-motion-control-and-heavy-rain-a-match-made-in-valhallaWe've been hearing more about 'Gem'/'Arc', or whatever they end up calling it, over the last few months. It's going to be a wand-like motion controller for PS3, and it's going to be... well, it's going to be a motion controller. That's all we really know. You can shoot orcs with a bow and arrow using it. We're as much in the dark as you are. But aside from a couple of tech demos, what it probably looks like and some rumoured names, what do we need it for?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/336/ps3-motion-control-and-heavy-rain-a-match-made-in-valhallahttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/334/heavy-rain-female-characters-are-just-eye-candyBeing in an office that was flooded with promotional copies of Heavy Rain a couple of weeks before release, I was lucky enough to get hold of the game and complete it. It's a phenomenal experience, and I recommend it to anyone who doesn't see score attacks as the pinnacle of game design. There is one glaring area in which the interactive drama falls down, however: portraying female characters. I recommend reading this after you've had a chance to play it for yourself, as minor spoilers follow.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/334/heavy-rain-female-characters-are-just-eye-candyhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/333/drm-assassins-creed-ii-has-gone-too-farWhere do you draw the line on DRM? What Valve did with Half-Life 2 is a widely accepted practice today, even though at the time online activation was met with an unprecedented community backlash. Proper notification in the system requirements box would have softened the blow for many, especially those that lugged PCs to work or school. But in hindsight this concept proved instrumental in introducing PC gamers to the juggernaut of digital distribution that is Steam, which is the one positive thing I can take away from that whole debacle.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/333/drm-assassins-creed-ii-has-gone-too-farhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/332/natal-doomed-to-failureOr... how Natal will have a negative impact on not only Xbox 360, but also on PS3...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/332/natal-doomed-to-failurehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/331/final-fantasy-xiii-vs-tribalismSo both versions of Final Fantasy XIII are now in the hands of the gaming press, and as reported on this fair site, the 360 version looks slightly worse. Sigh. Still looks good, mind, but that doesn't matter. Cue rampant grandstanding, accusations of bias and all out nonsense on the world's greatest forum devoted to idiots with opinions (much like myself, it should be noted), the Internet.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/331/final-fantasy-xiii-vs-tribalismhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/330/sonys-wand-doomed-to-failureIt's all or bust for Sony's mo-con wand. And here's why... GDC is just around the corner and will mark the first time Sony has let the journalism world pick up and play the first clutch of titles available for its motion control device. But is the Japanese giant too late to the party? And do we need it?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/330/sonys-wand-doomed-to-failurehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/329/core-memoryEverybody signs their work. Everyone puts an indelible part of themselves in everything they do or create. It goes by many names; style, hand, flavor and even stench. No matter what you call it, it's there for all to see, and anyone who truly knows a person can identify their work. I've known this for many years and yet, like so many other things, I'll never forget my first time.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/329/core-memoryhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/industry/328/ps3-needs-mass-effect-mass-effect-needs-ps3I've just spent a long weekend playing Mass Effect 2. Yes - that means I was playing on my 360. I can only apologise. But when it comes to playing one of the best action-RPGs ever made, you have to make a stand and play a game on whatever you can, even if it is disloyal of me as a committed PlayStationite. And this is why I must add my voice to the pile of those that demand the Mass Effect series should make its way to PS3.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/industry/328/ps3-needs-mass-effect-mass-effect-needs-ps3http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/327/the-nature-of-the-beastWhen it was announced Bioshock 2 was met with a mixture of cynicism, curiosity and down right animosity. There were many people that saw Bioshock 2 as a simple money making exercise.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/327/the-nature-of-the-beasthttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/iain-lee/326/double-dutchI've been responsible for two TV shows about games in my time. The second, Thumb Bandits, sadly wasn't great. It had some good bits in it, but it was nowhere near as good as Bits, the show it took over from. Replacing two fit girls with a lanky pale bloke and having a rude punning title does not a good series make.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/iain-lee/326/double-dutchhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/325/when-it-rains-it-pourshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/325/when-it-rains-it-pourshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/324/core-memoryhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/324/core-memoryhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/322/the-folly-of-pre-order-incentivesIn an age when retailers fight for the cheapest price on launch day to generate the highest sales, selling a boxed game isn't as straightforward as it once was. One variable is designed to avoid such capitalist competition: pre-order incentives. By offering exclusive in-game content ahead of a title's release, retailers attempt to secure the buyer's commitment, in an effort to prevent consumers from shopping around for any potential deals on rival websites.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/322/the-folly-of-pre-order-incentiveshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/323/the-news-in-briefs-its-pantsThe news in brief returns, and now it's snugly packaged with a new, sillier name...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/323/the-news-in-briefs-its-pantshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/321/games-room-reliving-the-glory-daysMicrosoft's announcement of its Games Room service recently got me thinking: what is it about old-school arcades that's so appealing? Well, first of all the loud noises and flashy lights rocked your senses as soon as you set foot in the door. Another attractive aspect was the fact that it was often a rare treat to go there; it was normally while you were off on holiday, on a day trip to the beach, or at a ten-pin bowling birthday party.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/321/games-room-reliving-the-glory-dayshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/320/market-forceThere needs to be a marketing rethink for gaming as a whole. I'm talking about for the entire thinking behind gaming: why we do it; who does it; how we're perceived by those members of the public who, for some bizarre reason, don't actually play games; and whether we are indeed wasting our time. Things need to change, we need to stop being judged as subhuman shut-ins (which we are, but still) without even the most miniscule of social skills (again, guilty as charged). Therefore, I would like to put forward this proposition - broken down into easy steps for the mind to ingest:http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/320/market-forcehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/319/coming-to-termsMaybe it's our undesirable, slightly side talking, but we're still somewhat fundamentally troubled by the concept of online gaming. Not for its entertainment value you understand which is, by and large, beyond reproach - rather features more implicit. Human desire seems to forever inch back the boundaries like so many Bombermen in a maze.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/319/coming-to-termshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/luis-villazon/317/is-role-playing-deadWorld Of Warcraft proclaims itself as an MMORPG - a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game. Several thousand players per server certainly counts as Massively Multiplayer, and no one would question the 'online' part. But role playing? How many of us still do that?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/luis-villazon/317/is-role-playing-deadhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/ps3-insider/316/urban-culture-dispatchSo here we are, not twenty-four hours after the head of Apple Corp's Popular Culture Indoctrination department took to another stage to stand in front of another big screen and wear another black roll neck to announce another Apple product that will make your bank manager a bit grumpy, and everyone and their German Shepard is talking about it. Everyone has an opinion on it, some more asinine than others, and unfortunately I can't guarantee mine won't be as well. So you have been warned.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/ps3-insider/316/urban-culture-dispatchhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/315/core-memoryHow do you get going in the morning? Think about it and we'll come back to that in a moment. As with any invention, people do the obvious with it and shortly thereafter they start to discover the unanticipated uses. That's when the real fun begins. When Video Games were invented they underwent the same evolution. At first they were simply a new kind of game and people used them for fun, personal challenge, party entertainment, as a medium for competition or interaction and just to pass the time. However, after a while other new and unanticipated uses started to emerge, uses like developing hand eye coordination and dexterity training, or as convalescent aids for stroke victims. They were adopted as training tools for pilots, tank commanders and psychics. That's what the public at large did with video games.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/315/core-memoryhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/314/the-nostalgia-factorDo you watch Mad Men? If you appreciate grown up American drama, complex characters and accurately recreated period setting then you absolutely should. It's a tremendous show set in an Ad Agency in the early 1960's, lead by a charismatic enigma of a creative director called Don Draper. Near the end of series one he's given a new projector to try and sell and while he admits that most advertising is about generating an itch for the 'new', he hits upon trying a different tactic.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/314/the-nostalgia-factorhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/313/art-vs-tech-fightWalk into any studio developing a game today and you'll more than likely find two camps. You'll find artists and you'll find the technology gurus. The artists are employed to spend their time coming up with the most beautiful, outrageous, ambitious and down right unique ideas they can, all portrayed in stunning concept art that will more than likely span the walls of the office.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/313/art-vs-tech-fighthttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/iain-lee/312/digital-babysitterI'm writing this while on holiday on a paradise island in the Indian Ocean. Well, it would be paradise, save for one thing - there are absolutely no videogames here. There isn't even a pinball table in the bar. This means I am going to have to go two whole weeks without playing anything. And it scares me. These days, games are always within reach, nearly every room in my flat is home to a console - Dreamcast in the living room, N64 in the bedroom, and my museum in the spare room. But out here? Nothing.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/iain-lee/312/digital-babysitterhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/311/broken-packagingAs of this writing, over 200,000 signatures (including mine) grace the petition of outrage (www.petitiononline.com/dedis4mw/ petition.html) directed at Modern Warfare 2's too-big-to-fail developer Infinity Ward. The complaints centre around the omission of gameplay features that have been considered industry standard for years. Unlike all of its predecessors in the Call Of Duty series, MW2 doesn't provide dedicated server support. And unlike its predecessors (and myriad games made on a bazillionth of the budget), it doesn't offer enabled console commands, consistent latency, support for matches with more than 18 players, mod tools, efficient methods to kick hackers from ranked matches... in other words, all those frilly overrated pagan luxuries curiously featured in every one of the series' previous instalments, and in every PC shooter ever (with the possible exception of Daikatana, which never had 18 players).http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/311/broken-packaginghttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/310/when-it-rains-it-poursI write as an individual. A gamer, a critic and an independent thinker. While my work affiliates me largely with a single platform, and I just so happen to love the Xbox 360, I've had a sincere belief this week, for probably the first time in the hard-fought fanboy struggle between it and the PS3, that the Sony console may just be inching ahead in the potential stakes.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/310/when-it-rains-it-pourshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/309/core-memoryI just got back from Jerusalem, and even though I've never been there before the whole scene was eerily familiar to me. The intriguing thing about Jerusalem is that everywhere you look you are struck with the contrast of the old and the new, not unlike when I go to work every day in video games. And if you consider the old temple industry, well, it was booming for a while, then there was the great crash, and then it was rebuilt and resurrected, not unlike the beginning of the video gaming industry. Then when you consider the Jews and the Muslims and the Christians, you've got three major factions competing for market share. So when I think of Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo...like I said, it's just eerie.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/309/core-memoryhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/307/news-4-gobshitesGreetings blog readers! I'm hyper busy right now, so I don't have much time to think up a topic to write about, so I'm going to just fire up the front page of www.n4g.com (that's News 4 Gamers to the uninitiated) and write what I think about the hottest story right now, whatever it may be.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/307/news-4-gobshiteshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/306/turning-the-tablesChildhood hides many a regrettable memory for all but the most careful individual. Friends prematurely dismissed, slugs regrettably eaten, but by far and away the most irksome event in your reporter's formative years has turned out to be one relished at the time: introducing one's parents to videogames. Sadly, those hours dragging disinterested elder relatives through Sonic 2's final stages has resulted in a whole world of suspended pain, and for painfully ironic reasons.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/306/turning-the-tableshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/305/every-hero-becomes-a-bore-at-last-ralph-waldo-emersonhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/howard-scott-warshaw/305/every-hero-becomes-a-bore-at-last-ralph-waldo-emersonhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/304/halo-3-madden-nfl-08-guitar-hero-2-what-do-these-titles-have-in-commonhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/304/halo-3-madden-nfl-08-guitar-hero-2-what-do-these-titles-have-in-commonhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/industry/302/the-beginning-of-the-endBayonetta has been a breath of fresh air in our office as the pre-Christmas line-up of family games and mega-blockbusters came close to draining every last drop of adrenaline and scorn from our bodies. Sega's latest managed to wash all that away and charm us in ways that only a catsuit wearing witch could ever have the power to do. It has however brought into sharp focus in my mind the issue of the current state and future of games development in Japan.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/industry/302/the-beginning-of-the-endhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/300/the-importance-of-rubber-bandingChoices in videogames can only go so far, regardless of how we might perceive the situation changing in the near future. In Mass Effect 2 and Heavy Rain, we have two games that have positioned choice as a primary gameplay mechanic, being flexible enough to generate varying scenarios for the player, but still tied to a central plot that results in everyone having comparable experiences.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/300/the-importance-of-rubber-bandinghttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/iain-lee/299/playground-warsHello Retro Gamers, Iain Lee here. I hope you don't mind me butting in like this, but you all seem to be having so much fun that I thought I would join in myself.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/iain-lee/299/playground-warshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/298/on-second-thoughts-2009-was-crapMy New Year's day hangover was mercifully shorter than my fading fond memories of 2009, but looking back through that skid-tinted pane and with the aid of a little perspective from M2 Research, I've realised just how bloody awful 2009 was for many people in the games industry: 11,488 people laid-off since the late 2008 economic implosion with all major studios hit and the majority let go from the development studio level. Europe saw 13 percent of the lay-offs and the UK copped 81 percent of that, though a not insignificant portion of this total was made up of outsourced Quality Assurance staff.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/298/on-second-thoughts-2009-was-craphttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/295/modern-warfare-2-vs-the-terminatorHands up who bought Modern Warfare 2. Ok, now keep those hands up if you've encountered the teeming throngs of Akimbo-shotgunning, heart-beat sensing, spawn camping, prodigal pre-teen (although some are depressingly older) oiks forgoing their duties to getting an education or HM Revenue and Customs to 'own' 'you' online.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/295/modern-warfare-2-vs-the-terminatorhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/294/im-already-sick-of-the-modern-warfare-effectWhile I'm well aware that Modern Warfare is an extremely excellent game the VGA trailer of Medal Of Honor made me think of one thing and that was World War II. You may think that's a bit odd but hear me out. The reason it made me think of WWII had nothing to do with the horrors of war, that would at least be understandable and slightly noble, the real reason was when I saw that trailer I saw history repeating itself. Not real life history obviously, videogame history.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/294/im-already-sick-of-the-modern-warfare-effecthttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/292/we-warned-youhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/292/we-warned-youhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/290/the-handheld-struggleAlthough the Wii tends to attract the most criticism for its dearth of quality third-party games, I think the DS has run into the same problem, in recent times. Pardon my ignorance, if you think I've made any great oversight, but this year there have only been three games on the ageing handheld that can be deemed essential - Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks and GTA: Chinatown Wars. Professor Layton rolls on in typical form, but the slate of upcoming titles isn't exactly looking too rosy, either: Level-5's Studio Ghibli collaboration Ni no Kuni impresses, as does Capcom's Okamiden, but I think the console suffered from having many of its best - or biggest - titles released in its first two years.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/290/the-handheld-strugglehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/289/the-year-of-the-gamerHave you seen the latest must-watch TV programme Flash Forward? For those of you permanently glued to your 360, with no time for other forms of media, it's the latest American TV series in the vein of Lost or Heroes that's currently sweeping the nation. Speculation is rife on who or what is responsible for the globally experienced two minutes and seventeen seconds blackout that yielded a six month 'flash forward'. Needless to say, you need this in your life, but more importantly it gave me an opportunity to ponder my own future six months down the road and more specifically, what I'm going to be playing in 2010.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/289/the-year-of-the-gamerhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/288/show-me-your-game-faceIt's not often I'm moved to express my displeasure directly to the company responsible, but it's happened twice this week, and it's only Tuesday.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/288/show-me-your-game-facehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/285/a-christmas-storyTis the season, as they say, when by long-standing social custom in Western countries' real life tends to assume the worst characteristics of MMOs. Both rigidly enforce participating in communal activities and screaming kids; both entail careful advance planning and the occasional wipe; both expect you to travel outrageous distances to socialise with people whom you normally wouldn't, all to trade trinkets and clothing in an effort to 'level up'.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/285/a-christmas-storyhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/ms-gamer-chat/282/and-the-oscar-goes-toI have a great editor and a bad taste in my mouth. The bad taste is from chewing on my own words. My editor didn't force feed them to me but simply pointed out the meal was available. I really appreciate his wisdom and grace in this regard.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/ms-gamer-chat/282/and-the-oscar-goes-tohttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/281/giving-up-on-fifa-10I appreciate FIFA 10. It's clearly the greatest football game ever made. Its nuances are undeniably enticing and its gameplay beautifully realised. It has built in every way on what made FIFA 09 brilliant, fixed many of its problems and ended up with a much stronger product. But I hate it.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/281/giving-up-on-fifa-10http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/280/the-music-makersIt may have caught your attention that Beatles offspring and all-round musician in his own right Dhani Harrison has gone on record with the Chicago Tribune, detailing how Rock Band 3 is going to be the best thing since sliced bread, and probably do all your dishes in it spare time. While this is indeed exciting news, we were intrigued to discover that it'll allegedly help players with the process of learning to play music; a suggestion that seems radical in the extreme.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/280/the-music-makershttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/278/the-producersI must have received two dozen emails from people asking me if I'm playing Bayonetta. "Are you playing Bayonetta?" ask my gamer friends here in Tokyo. "Lucky you, being able to play Bayonetta!" say my gamer friends abroad. "Did you get that Bayonetta game?" ask my game-acquainted friends in Tokyo. "You play games, right? Are you playing, what's it called, Bayonetta?" asked a friend who I didn't know knew anything about games.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/278/the-producershttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/274/getting-1-upDuh duh duh duh duh duh. The timeless melody confirming that Mario has just acquired a 1-up mushroom and has another life. The tune itself may have undergone significant revision from its humble monaural origins to its magnificent operatic persona in Super Mario Galaxy, but the idea of the 1-up remains extraordinarily far-fetched.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/274/getting-1-uphttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/271/the-last-word-on-gta-ivAbout two weeks ago, Rockstar released the last in its trilogy of GTA IV titles, The Ballad Of Gay Tony. For those that stuck with the open-world masterpiece until the very last, it was nothing but a rewarding journey. GTA IV was unprecedented in a range of ways. First of all, it represented the most accurate and relentless lampooning of American pop culture in the history of videogames. Incisive, funny and irreverent, the game's attention to detail across the in-game TV, internet and radio stations remains staggering.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/271/the-last-word-on-gta-ivhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/ms-gamer-chat/265/gamings-holy-grailIt's true, I'm in the process of becoming a psychotherapist. Believe me, after years of managing game designers and programmers I've got a big head-start on my practicum. Currently I counsel young children (specifically, ones who've never participated in video game production) and my thoughts turn to kids and the parents who produce them. Amidst my musings this thought emerged: Despite the fact the movie industry and the game industry have been in bed together for such a long time, they still can't figure out what their child looks like. I find this a rather amusing musing.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/ms-gamer-chat/265/gamings-holy-grailhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/263/quiet-year-yeah-sure-it-isWhile 2009 has admittedly been a little lighter on releases than 2008, due to Modern Warfare 2 scaring even the most unlikely candidates out of the Q4 time frame (Bayonetta, really?), it hasn't been the flaccid wonder that many observers assumed it would become. You've probably already picked up on this, whether that's through the ridiculously high average of scores awarded on this site in the past few months, or the savage effect it's had on your bank account.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/263/quiet-year-yeah-sure-it-ishttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/262/jobs-for-the-boysThe powers that be have asked that I stop getting hopped up on energy drinks and running my fingers across the keyboard until I've met my minimum word count, so this column will be taking a more focused approach. Since the most common question I get asked is how someone can get a job like mine, I figured an article about everything but that would be the way to go. So instead, I will be speaking with other industry insiders - from pro-gamers, booth babes and composers to concept artists, game designers and booth babes - to find out how they nabbed the second best job in the world. http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/262/jobs-for-the-boyshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/256/gamecity-2009http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/256/gamecity-2009http://nowgamer.com/blogs/imaginenation/254/land-of-the-rising-no-funAnother Tokyo Game Show has come and gone, and despite my best efforts, it has once again failed to make me feel like a complete human being. Usually, this time of year generates the easiest columns: all I have to do is talk about how I could play hardly any games because the lines were too long. This year, I had no such problem. In the two business days of Tokyo Game Show 2009, I played basically every big game that's coming out between now and the end of the year, and I was so satisfied with the experience that I didn't even feel the need to attend the show on the two public days. I spent the third day sleeping, and spent the fourth day in the park. It was such lovely weather. It rained all summer, and then it was perfect for a week. Then it started raining again. This is basically how the seasons change in Tokyo.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/imaginenation/254/land-of-the-rising-no-funhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/250/time-is-a-great-healerSome games are better when surgically removed from their original contexts. Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway appeared in September 2008, overdue and unnecessary. Talk about military surplus: it seemed like a WWII game at the end of a chain of WWII games - so late it was funny. It's absurd that it came out and tried to be relevant in such a saturated market, all starchy, reverent and serious. I played the demo of this silly game, sneering at its conventions and its limits, executing the sheep in a field then turning it off.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/250/time-is-a-great-healerhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/248/spoilt-rottenAs a journalist, it's my job to know about games. Who made them, what engine they use, what fantastic new visual effects and gameplay features they have to offer and a myriad of other things before they come out. The reason I need to know all this is not to impress humans with boobs or make know-it-all game store employees feel inferior, but instead to filter all that information back to you, the reader. Essentially, my job is to get you excited about games by outright spoiling them. The need-to-know phenomenon in the gaming industry is one not really shared by other forms of entertainment. I understand there are quite a few exceptions to the rule out there, but for the most part enthusiast moviegoers do not try to map out what they'll be seeing in a movie before they actually watch it. How many times have you been sitting in the movie theatre watching a trailer and after it's over, someone turns to you and says, "I feel like I've already seen that now."http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/248/spoilt-rottenhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/243/lip-service-a-tribute-to-moustaches-in-gamesEarlier this afternoon I was sent some brand, spanking new screenshots of the classic line-up of Queen in Lego Rock Band, and I couldn't help but admire the moustache on Lego Freddie Mercury. It got me thinking about other game characters with memorable moustaches, which then got me thinking about how intertwined moustaches and games have been almost since the very dawn of gaming, and that got me thinking about how I could write a blog about moustaches for NowGamer, and that got me writing one, which I am. Right now.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/243/lip-service-a-tribute-to-moustaches-in-gameshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/240/more-than-a-feelingIt's getting rarer and rarer that a videogame actually moves me. I can only put this down to two things. First that I'm getting older and that the combination of buttons that need to be pushed to elicit a response is becoming more complicated. Second, games are rubbish at causing you to react.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/240/more-than-a-feelinghttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/236/taste-the-differenceWhat makes a game a 'classic'? Is it the number of copies sold? The number of platforms it's available on? The number of times it's been re-released over the years? Asking people to name gaming masterpieces unearths the usual suspects - Mario Bros, Sonic, Pac-Man and Donkey Kong share the renown with Tetris, OutRun, Street Fighter and Doom - but dig a little deeper and there are a plethora of historic titles that many of today's younger gamers may not have experienced. Live Arcade provides the perfect platform to rectify this problem, and the latest must-play to join the ensemble is LucasArts' The Secret Of Monkey Island: Special Edition.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/236/taste-the-differencehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/233/ps3-slim-picture-perfect The remodelled PS3 is on sale the world over. I don't have one because I simply don't need one. I saw one in a game shop, under glass, with a large sign nearby: 'Please do not take pictures of this'. Why do they do that? One game shop I like has a huge plastic statue of Super Mario, with a sign nearby commanding cruelly and succinctly: 'Do not take pictures of this statue. Do not touch this statue'. I want to put up a sign that says 'Do not place something so deliciously touchable, so criminally photogenic in your store if you don't want us to touch it or photograph it'. Anyway. I didn't care much for the new PS3. It's just as big as the old one, just skinnier. Who cares how tall it is?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/233/ps3-slim-picture-perfecthttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/231/the-trials-of-lifeI'm still a traditional fellow who believes real games come in boxes, resisting the inevitable transformation to an entirely digital distribution model at every hopeless step. But over this last summer there was no choice. The simple economics were thus: the big retail games were gash; the wee download games were great.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/231/the-trials-of-lifehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/229/the-lord-of-the-rings-has-a-lot-to-answer-forWe've got a lot of time for BioWare here. Not only did it produce one of the most impressive Star Wars games to ever reach consoles, but its use of characters, branching narrative and action-heavy RPG traits has consistently impressed us. From Knights Of The Old Republic through to Mass Effect it rarely put a foot wrong, and when we heard that it was returning to the fantasy genre that made it famous, we gave a little yelp of delight. After all, we're all hopeless D&D fans underneath. Just look at Warcraft.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/229/the-lord-of-the-rings-has-a-lot-to-answer-forhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/ps3-insider/227/gran-turismo-5-vs-forza-3There's nothing like a racing game to benchmark the power of a gaming system. For years publishers have held up their racing mascots as shining examples of their console's superiority. Ridge Racer, Sega Rally, F-Zero and WipEout have all been used in this fashion - there's something about the genre that lends itself to this kind of benchmarking: it demonstrates a console's ability to push detailed graphics and physics around at speed. The better it can do these basics of gaming, the more powerful the console, right?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/ps3-insider/227/gran-turismo-5-vs-forza-3http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/223/on-the-moneyhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/223/on-the-moneyhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/221/no-twitter-please-were-logicalNaughty Dog's decision to nix Twitter integration in Uncharted 2 was the most sensible, forward-thinking judgment I've seen a developer make in months. Usually when a bad idea rears its head in games development, it stays there, rotting, until enough people have moaned to get the issue patched to hell. Having your Twitter profile update whenever you've completed a chapter would drive most of your Twitter followers crazy - hell, I barely care when I look at my Xbox Live profile and see that NotBewk is playing Stoke V Man Utd in FIFA 09 for the sixteenth time. The last thing I need in between updates from real, intelligent people is automated nonsense that reads 'TwattyMcChode beat Uncharted 2, Chapter 2 on Hard'. I love Uncharted, to the point where I feel insulted that people I hate are actually enjoying the game, but this would've been a step too far. With Twitter coming to Xbox 360, however, and some websites already offering a service that links your profile to the social networking site, I expect this isn't the last we'll hear of this intrusive feature for the time being.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/221/no-twitter-please-were-logicalhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/219/a-new-gaming-heroWho would have thought a superhero game could have fared so well in the gaming press? Scowled upon for years by vicious journalists who, quite rightly, longed for the day when one got it right, Batman: Arkham Asylum looked at all the failures and learnt from them.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/219/a-new-gaming-herohttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/215/riot-shieldsMultiplayer gaming is a minefield. This much should be clear to any Xbox 360 or PS3 gamer within 15 minutes of taking any recent release online. The quality of your opposition or in some cases your partners both in terms of prowess and mentality can vary greatly. Those who choose to generalise tend to point the finger at American teens as the worst for abusive and insensitive attitudes, but globally the power of anonymity cannot be underestimated. We all have our fair share of [insert crude noun here].http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/215/riot-shieldshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/212/the-second-hand-conundrumhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/212/the-second-hand-conundrumhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/211/the-longest-dayThere's already a wealth of Modern Warfare 2 content all over NowGamer, including hands-on impressions from myself and David Lynch (no, not that David Lynch) and an interview with Infinity Ward's community manager, Robert Bowling. I can assure you there's even more to come, not just from NowGamer itself, but from its affiliate magazines GamesTM, X360, Play, 360 and Total PC Gaming.For this blog, though, I wanted to do something a little bit different. This blog is less about the game itself and more about the experience of going all the way to Los Angeles to play it for the first time. If you get about halfway through this and decide you really couldn't give a toss, then please comment to that effect and we'll never try anything like this again...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/211/the-longest-dayhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/210/core-memoryI just got back from Jerusalem, and although I've never been there before, the whole scene was eerily familiar to me. The intriguing thing about Jerusalem is that everywhere you look you are struck with the contrast of the old and the new, not unlike when I go to work every day in videogames. And if you consider the old temple industry... well, it was booming for a while, then there was the great crash, and then it was rebuilt and resurrected - not unlike the beginning of the game industry. Then, when you consider the Jews and the Muslims and the Christians, you have three major factions competing for market share. So when I think of Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo... like I said, it's eerie.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/210/core-memoryhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/209/theres-nothing-to-fear-but-err-no-fear-itselfDespite the ridiculous number of films that have since ruined any credibility the series had, the original Saw movie was something of a success. Namely, it achieved the one thing it simply couldn't fail to mess up: putting its audience on edge. Both its premise and the execution were haunting, getting inside viewers' heads until they bought into the, frankly, stupid narrative.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/209/theres-nothing-to-fear-but-err-no-fear-itselfhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/ms-gamer-chat/206/core-memoryHalo 3, Madden NFL 08, Guitar Hero II. What do these titles have in common? Virtually nothing. Aside from being videogames, the only characteristic they all share is being in the US Top Sellers Of 2007 list. These three titles are the win, place and show respectively but that's not interesting. What's interesting is how they differ.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/ms-gamer-chat/206/core-memoryhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/205/letters-from-azerothIn a five-man group, it's easy to tell if everyone's doing their job: the tank soaks up the beating, the healer keeps him alive and the DPS do all the actual killing. As long as the boss goes down before the healer runs out of mana, everyone is happy. In Wrath Of The Lich King, the threat generation of all the tanking classes was substantially boosted and it's pretty rare now for DPS to pull aggro off the tank unless the boss has some gimmicky threat-wiping ability. This means that the measure of a good DPS player is entirely focussed on his damage output. If you top the damage meters, then you are the best player - end of.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/205/letters-from-azerothhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/ms-gamer-chat/204/sonic-boomSo, that fabled time has actually come. Take note, fellow gamers, that September 2009 was the moment at which all of Sonic's Mega Drive adventures were available to download together for the first time! Before you puff and blow derisively, this is indeed a momentous occasion.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/ms-gamer-chat/204/sonic-boomhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/200/0910-the-ps3s-2007It's rare that those who participate in the making of history actually have the ability to step back for a moment and grasp what they were involved in, but back in 2007 many realised something very special was going on. With the release of games like BioShock, Mass Effect, Call Of Duty 4, Halo 3 and Portal on the Xbox 360 there was a sense that a tipping point had been reached not just for this generation of games consoles, but for the games industry as a whole.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/200/0910-the-ps3s-2007http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/198/transforming-standardsI've just seen an advert for Transformers 2 on DVD, what a dark day. Unsurprisingly this summer the film rolled into movie theatres - shattered records and made everyone involved rich enough to buy your entire family. Legally. If you're nodding your head in approval because you, along with millions of other adolescent boys, actually enjoyed the film, congratulations! You have contributed to the downfall of quality filmmaking. (You probably also have ten different styles of plastic guitars strewn about your mum's basement.)http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/198/transforming-standardshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/196/left-for-undeadhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/196/left-for-undeadhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/ms-gamer-chat/195/core-memoryhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/ms-gamer-chat/195/core-memoryhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/192/dying-of-the-lighthttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/192/dying-of-the-lighthttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/191/publishers-and-social-networkingI signed up to Rockstar's Social Club quite a few months ago, when I'd completed GTA IV and was having some rather geeky withdrawal symptoms - at the time, I remember the site being fairly limited. Suitable in tone, given the overall attitude of Rockstar products, but not the kind of interactive service I'd return to. In the past few weeks, however, something has changed with the way the company markets its games and the Social Club has undergone an admirable overhaul in the process.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/191/publishers-and-social-networkinghttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/190/no-loose-endsIf the married, settled man has a vice, it could be the cable tie. Have you ever opened a packet of those? Contained therein is a force of compulsion not seen since the introduction of the Salt and Vinegar Pringle. You can't neaten up just one sprawling cable into a prim, compact, showroom-quality coil; as soon as it's done, you see how everything could be improved - tightened, managed, reduced - one wayward straggle of cord at a time. Before long your knees are cracking and your other half's asking when you might pay her a visit back on the more traditional side of the TV. You might as well be locked in the bathroom feeding a Vicodin habit for all the good her pleas will do.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/190/no-loose-endshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/189/about-a-boyI'm sure that I'm not alone in this - I know I'm not alone in this. See, the PS3 Slim is officially out next week, but it turns out some retailers are selling it early - you can walk in to some Best Buy and Gamestops in the US and walk out with a console, and Shopto is sending machines out to UK buyers as of tomorrow. Whereas before I was interested but ultimately indifferent to the Slim, now I know that others out there - other normal, human people - have them, I really want one. Now. I'm likely to spend a lot of money I don't have on another version of a console I already own, solely because some other people I do not know nor will ever meet have one in their possession.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/189/about-a-boyhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/188/alternative-top-tenYou know, many lists of this type offer up one of three things: condescension, depression or boredom. Without wanting to trivialise the issue at all (after all, who could thoroughly dissect all the necessary issues in the space of a short blog post?), here's a quick list of all female characters who have entertained me, as far as the 360 is concerned. Pure and simple.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/188/alternative-top-tenhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/182/in-the-clubAround the beginning of last year, I found myself with a problem. And that problem was called The Club. Bizarre's underrated mix of shooter and memory game had me and a couple of buddies in serious trouble. There was no escape. The outside did not exist. We. Had. To. Keep. Playing. Getting to the top, the very top, of a worldwide leaderboard - it can do strange things to a man.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/182/in-the-clubhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/181/just-the-two-of-usRecently, many of my gaming experiences have been of the co-operative variety and it's been during this time that I've realised playing with a friend directly by your side is far and away the most fun you can have when investing time in this hobby.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/181/just-the-two-of-ushttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/179/fixing-sonicSonic the Hedgehog, a franchise long trapped under the weight of its own mediocrity, seems to continue floundering despite the obvious observation by long-time Sega fans that the franchise just doesn't work any more. Torn apart by high concepts like Werehogs, motion-controlled swords and a black hedgehog with guns, the only Sonic games that haven't been critically savaged in the past few years are the 2D titles in the series - well, 2D platformers, rather than lame PSP racing titles (take a bow, Sonic Rivals).http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/179/fixing-sonichttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/177/batman-arkham-asylumWhen I downloaded the Batman: Arkham Asylum demo yesterday, I was ready to lash back against the early, exclusive reviews that seemed all too eager to heap accolades at its feet. The game was going to be mediocre at best and I was going to see through its glossy facade to its blackened, dollar-embossed heart. However, I encountered a bit of a problem. It's really rather good.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/177/batman-arkham-asylumhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/175/dead-and-loving-itWith Left 4 Dead 2 shuffling onto the horizon I've been thinking a lot recently about zombies, but not just about zombies, because that would be weird, but zombies in games. Looking at the undead on the silver screen is all well and good but film can only ever offer the same kind of experience and that's general fear for the characters on screen and disgust at the zombies trying to eat them.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/175/dead-and-loving-ithttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/174/we-dont-have-it-so-hardGaming has become very political in recent years. Children skipping school was because of games. Teenagers stealing cars was because of games. We, as gamers, protested of course. Such acts, problems and issues were around long before videogames. We had played all these supposedly harmful pieces of software and apart from some later nights than might best be advised, we remained unscathed.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/174/we-dont-have-it-so-hardhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/173/day-of-the-dragonOn the one hand Dragon Quest IX has now been released and isn't terrible. On the other hand it's that time of year when the Apple Weather Widget flits between a six-day forecast of thunderstorms and a six-day forecast of sunny weather (often several times in one day), and here I am unable to leave my window open without stepping closer to the line separating normal human beings from homicidal maniacs.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/173/day-of-the-dragonhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/171/why-do-we-playWhy do we play games? It's a simple question. The most common, hair-trap answer is that they're 'fun', but what's the fun part? Figuring out how to play? Attaining sufficient skill? Beating friends? Beating strangers? Uninstalling? Is it just about unlocking achievements and inscribing your initials next to a high score, stalemating the chimpanzee on Chessmaster, or acquiring simulated attire limned by ever-brighter particle routines and paying monthly fees for the privilege of making other people worldwide see you wearing it? Even as the glow finally fades from Blizzard's MMO rose World Of Warcraft, it offers ostensibly long-term innovations, like heirloom items. But the fate of real heirlooms is to gather dust in closets along with zillions of other bundled conclusions that you eventually tired thinking of. It's the sad truth that there are few poorer trophy cases than an old hard drive.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/171/why-do-we-playhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/170/standing-room-onlyIn the last four weeks, my entire professional world has slowly fallen apart. I didn't ask for an industry so terminally fixated on a two-month window at the end of each year. It was like that when I got here, and while the annual ritual of cramming every big release into the same short period always reeked of a self-fulfilling prophecy, at least it was consistent - retarded, but consistent.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/170/standing-room-onlyhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/169/money-or-the-mobWell, it was good while it lasted. Just weeks ago the 1 vs 100 beta was ushered in, ready to send Ant & Dec crying for their ITV studios, out of a job. A new age of interactive Saturday night entertainment stood ready to go, providing a genuine thrill to anyone who actually sat and thought about what was taking place. Thousands of gamers sat across the United Kingdom, pitting their totally inconsiderable wits against each other in a duel for sweet, sweet Microsoft Points.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/169/money-or-the-mobhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/168/new-zune-ready-for-hd-gamesNowGamer investigates whether the latest version of Microsoft's personal media player has the processing power to rival the iPhone as a games machine...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/168/new-zune-ready-for-hd-gameshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/166/ps3-slim-to-cost-260http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/166/ps3-slim-to-cost-260http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/165/plastic-fantasicTat. An avalanche of tat. This is what I discovered while boxing up our belongings for a long-looming relocation three states west, to Pittsburgh, at the western edge of Pennsylvania. A great hoard of meaningless, even tiresome, yet somehow indispensable, tat from the world of videogame PR.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/165/plastic-fantasichttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/163/demons-soulsIf only you knew the things I've endured in order to write this. My face has been eaten by a monstrosity with an octopus instead of a head. My multi-perforated body has been riddled by a thousand arrows. My flesh has been burnt beyond recognition. I have been stabbed in the back, crushed by falling boulders and stunned by ensorcelled electricity. I've been chopped, sliced, plagued and penetrated. But despite all this, I'm still smiling.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/163/demons-soulshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/162/the-write-stuffAs some of you may be aware, in addition to my blog writing duties, I manage to keep a thatch roof over my head by occasionally writing game dialogue for disinterested media conglomerates. Why? Because it's not selling out if you're not paid very much.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/162/the-write-stuffhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/159/movie-mattersThe fact that the movie industry has begun looking at games as a basis for source material should really come as no surprise. With the news that Gears Of War is well on its way to celluloid along with the Sony-branded inFamous, as a gaming audience we really need to stop and take a step back from this overly indulgent situation, do we really want games based on these franchises?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/159/movie-mattershttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/160/capcom-profits-up-19It might be all doom and gloom for some in the games industry, but it looks like Capcom's strategy is paying off, with the Japanese developer posting a 19 per cent increase in profits for the first quarter of 2009.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/160/capcom-profits-up-19http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/158/the-truth-about-scoringYou know, there's a common misconception that the issue of awarding a score to a particular game is somehow an entirely objective process. In fact, I'm going to start this little diatribe with what, for some, will be a revelation. A game's score is one person's opinion. The clever ones among you will have figured this out already, but it's an illusion that our industry just loves to passively obfuscate.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/158/the-truth-about-scoringhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/157/first-daft-punk-track-for-tron-legacyListen to the uber-cool new tune from the French electro-pop outfit, written specifically for the arcade-machine based movie sequel...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/157/first-daft-punk-track-for-tron-legacyhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/156/go-to-gamingMy Xbox 360 broke. I mention this only to set the scene. I imagine that many of you like myself have become rather bored of the weepy RROD stories that have dogged blogs around the world for the last three and a half years. I think we're all pretty familiar with the instabilities of Microsoft's hardware, but we love the console all the same.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/156/go-to-gaminghttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/151/the-cost-of-fisher-price-gaminghttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/151/the-cost-of-fisher-price-gaminghttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/155/how-appI've just finished my first iPhone game, called Trixel. It's an abstract logic puzzle game that's dirt simple and somewhat deep. Definitely better than a lot of the App Store stuff. It was an utter pain to make, but good pain. Like the pain you get from finishing a long run or from releasing a first, especially dense, morning 'brown cargo drop'. http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/155/how-apphttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/153/et-go-homeThere are two questions that I face constantly: 'How can you wear those pants in public?' and 'Can I ask you about the ET thing?' You can check out YouTube for the pants, but about the whole ET thing, I'd like to say two words: happy anniversary. And now I'd like to add a few more. http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/153/et-go-homehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/150/going-undergroundWe're moving soon, a few states over to western Pennsylvania, and have come on a short, intensive house-hunting expedition to the area so that we won't have to live at the Holiday Inn when we arrive for good. Four days of nothing but seeing different properties, seeking out good neighbourhoods, talking to estate agents, desperately searching for a home, all day every day, the clock always ticking.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/150/going-undergroundhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/149/the-home-console-rpg-struggleI'm too busy to play RPGs. No, this isn't due to some outrageously inane reason, like having a wife or kids - I have neither of those things - but rather a defensive stance to prevent my precious, remaining free time from being swallowed whole by another bottomless game that I know I'll never complete.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/149/the-home-console-rpg-strugglehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/148/playstation-news-roundupOur reaction to the latest headlines from Planet PlayStation...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/148/playstation-news-rounduphttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/147/nin-the-mercilessNintendo is a villain. Not the quirky, Saturday morning cartoon breed who always comes up with wacky plans to annihilate little blue people, however; Nintendo is much more like the villain in the movies who starts out as the main character's best friend - someone you would never expect to be secretly working with the terrorists, or aliens, or alien terrorists. Nintendo is the kind of company that smiles to your face while it laughs behind your back, counting all the money it's siphoned from your hands with the hundredth iteration of the same game.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/147/nin-the-mercilesshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/146/full-metal-jacketThe adage that 'art imitates real life' makes complete sense. But it comes to something when real life tricks you into thinking you're gaming. Yet, that's exactly what the latest MOD ads for the army do. How? A calculated and skilful blend of first-person perspective and pseudo-interaction, presented as choice. Depicted as a through-the-eyes raid on a suspected bomb factory set in an arid country, a squaddie turns to camera and asks 'What would you do - call in air support, kick the door in, or blow the wall?'http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/146/full-metal-jackethttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/145/so-nearly-a-brave-new-worldA bit behind the times I may be, but I've finally played Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots through to completion. As enjoyable an experience as it was, I also found it to be an awkward and disappointing one. Like all the best guilty pleasures, it had that perfect balance of rapture and disgust.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/145/so-nearly-a-brave-new-worldhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/144/now-and-yenI recently moved into a spacious new apartment, fulfilling my dream of having four empty bedrooms in addition to my sleeping quarters. I bought this novelty lamp made of trash-grade plastic and probably processed from vegetable husks. It has two cylinders of glass, one inside the other, which rotate in opposite directions, casting a wavy blue light on the ceiling. At best it's like sleeping on a boat. It malfunctions, but you get what you pay for.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/144/now-and-yenhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/143/bridge-over-troubled-watersThere are few laws more inevitably followed in the videogame industry than that of diminishing returns. From the Left 4 Dead 2 boycott to a horrible blend of blue to deep yellow you get from typing the words 'Mario Party' into Metacritic, there's nothing gamers enjoy more than kicking a title with the stench of rip-off behind it.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/143/bridge-over-troubled-watershttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/142/the-guitar-hero-fallacyGames like Guitar Hero and Rock Band are leading kids astray according to more and more popular artists.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/142/the-guitar-hero-fallacyhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/141/just-say-noNobody knows anything. That's the first law of Hollywood. And since the game industry took its first steps, Hollywood's been a role model. In fact we follow so closely in their footsteps we get the same mess on our shoes. And who knows better than me?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/141/just-say-nohttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/140/cheap-movesThere's a familiar pattern in recession-hit stores around here. Some form of corporate research, or a consultancy firm, or plain experience, must suggest that one approach works best for squeezing the last pennies from a location before shutting up shop.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/140/cheap-moveshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/139/whence-the-darknessThough today's increasingly corporate movie studios tend to play it safer every year, film remains a medium that fitfully dares to tread dark waters. Reality shows aside, television is also generally edgier than it was two decades ago. Games, on the other hand, seem to be moving steadily backward when it comes to tackling adult themes.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/139/whence-the-darknesshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/138/id-software-is-dead-long-live-id-softwareIt's rather old news by now, but it would seem churlish to let the passing of the id Software we know and love go by without making comment. Purchased by Bethesda-owned media organisation ZeniMax last week, it came as slightly more of a shock than the average buyout. Because this was the company who got me, and so many millions of others, into gaming in the first place.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/138/id-software-is-dead-long-live-id-softwarehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/135/arbitrary-glossolaliaAn(other) exclusive interview with lovably obscure Total PC Gaming Magazine columnist Kelly Wand...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/135/arbitrary-glossolaliahttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/134/anything-you-can-do-i-can-do-betterSo, according to Sony Online Computer Entertainment America's director of PlayStation Network operations Eric Lempel, the PlayStation Network is no longer playing catch up to Xbox Live (and in some ways may have even surpassed it).http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/134/anything-you-can-do-i-can-do-betterhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/133/no-more-videogamesI will no longer use the term 'videogames' to label the sector of the entertainment market we are a part of. As technology has developed and dreams have become ideas, which in turn have become realities, the term has become an increasingly insufficient description of the industry's output. Worse still, it has, perhaps even irrevocably, damaged myriad journalists and consumers' perceptions as to what interactive entertainment should, and indeed could, achieve.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/133/no-more-videogameshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/132/got-betaDespite being a videogames journalist with PC roots, I've never really engaged in the various Betas you get a chance to participate in. The closest I ever came to actually being a beta tester was when I half heartedly signed up for the EndWar Beta (didn't get in though). One could argue that, as a journalist, all I do is Beta test - it's common for Journalists to receive early code for review and even preview, the only different being is that the developers are unlikely to listen to our feedback. But I digress...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/132/got-betahttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/131/playstation-news-roundupOur reaction on the latest headlines and rumours from Planet Playstation... http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/131/playstation-news-rounduphttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/129/are-you-to-blameThere's been a lot of talk lately regarding the future of videogames. The technophiles believe we'll be plugging Halo 5 directly into our cerebral cortex, everyone but the brick and mortar retail outlets believe that digital distribution is inevitable, and the analysts believe whatever nonsense they derived from mixing together a fortune cookie and the back of a cereal box. http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/129/are-you-to-blamehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/128/growing-painsI am now an official podcaster. I'd often admired those brave souls, casting pods of wit and wisdom to ridiculously small quantities of easily distracted listeners. I wanted in, and thanks to my employer's new website - good luck NowGamer.com, God speed - I've finally been invited...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/128/growing-painshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/127/zombies-ate-my-editorThe editor of Total PC Gaming magazine, Russell Barnes, was partially eaten by zombies at a Left 4 Dead 2 event yesterday.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/127/zombies-ate-my-editorhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/126/listen-wellYesterday, on a hot afternoon, myself and two fellow gamers each discovered how geeky and pathetically infatuated we really were with videogames. How did this happen? Well, it began with one man revealing that he had a track from Super Puzzle Fighter on his MP3 player. Fairly geeky, to be sure, and not the kind of information you'd like to get around while cruising a singles bar.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/126/listen-wellhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/125/red-faction-guerrilla-vs-far-cry-2-fightEver get the feeling you have to stand up for a game you feel passionate about? I'm sure everyone does, but after the near unanimous praise surrounding Red Faction Guerrilla, I felt a little left out. I wanted to love it. I like the setting, the idea, the music, even the way it looks. But despite all of the obviously superb destructibility and the ostrich hammers and such, I couldn't get over this one, nagging feeling. I'm playing a rubbish version of Far Cry 2.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/125/red-faction-guerrilla-vs-far-cry-2-fighthttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/124/failure-is-the-only-optionI've been talked down to by more videogames than human beings. No contest. As long as I leave out the fact that I basically review toys for a living, most people tend to give me the benefit of the doubt, but I've rarely been extended the same courtesy by a game.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/124/failure-is-the-only-optionhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/123/crud-diamondDuring a recent cleanup, in which it fell to me to sort the big pile of paperwork by the door into three smaller piles of Keep, Burn (tax evasion, identify theft) and Discard, I discovered my old Xbox Live Diamond Card.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/123/crud-diamondhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/122/the-curse-of-new-ipAre we in danger of seeing two of the biggest videogame publishers in the world experience their worst generation of sales because they supported new IP (Intellectual Property)?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/122/the-curse-of-new-iphttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/121/show-a-little-faithAre you one of the 30,000? Those brave, dignified souls, joined for all eternity in the spirit of protest with Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and that Chinese fellow with the shopping bag who stopped the tanks in Tianneman Square. For they fight an evil as terrible as racial bigotry, and as brutal as totalitarian oppression; an evil so vile that many dare not speak its name: Valve Software's Left 4 Dead 2.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/121/show-a-little-faithhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/120/playstation-news-roundupOur reaction on the latest headlines and rumours from Planet Playstationhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/120/playstation-news-rounduphttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/119/the-future-will-not-be-televisedThere is an arrogance creeping into this industry that is churning my gut. This bumptious belief that the so-called Golden Age of gaming passed long ago is a frighteningly sour and pessimistic one, but worse still it's becoming dangerously debilitating for the very business it pretends to celebrate.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/119/the-future-will-not-be-televisedhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/115/classicsThe PS3 owners among you will have no doubt read up on how well Final Fantasy VII is doing on the Playstation Network. 100,000 downloads in the first two weeks alone. To be fair, games have sold for far more, far quickly, but considering this is a re-release of an old PSONE game, that's pretty good going. Just goes to show you should never under estimate the nostalgia factor...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/115/classicshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/114/good-newsThis will appeal to our UK audience more than anything, but it looks like the Government has finally woken up and smelt the Xbox's. Both EDGE Online & Games Industry.biz are reporting that a new cross-party parliamentary group has been set up, the soul focus being on the computer & videogames industry. Huzzah!http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/114/good-newshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/113/the-curious-case-of-the-tweet-on-the-netSocial networking is a curious thing. I know some people who can't get off Facebook or MySpace, and in some extreme cases it has replaced instant messaging as the lifeline to the outside world. Me? Well I only use it because it's practical. I joined MySpace because I was told to, then I came to Uni and joined Facebook instead because most of my friends used it. I then joined Twitter many years later simply because I was curious. But what really intrigues me is what you can do with social networking, and the effect it has had on the world...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/113/the-curious-case-of-the-tweet-on-the-nethttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/e3-2009/112/talking-dolls-freak-us-the-hell-outThings begin to hot up for the grand opening of the show floor in 30 minutes, but many saying it's far too quiet...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/e3-2009/112/talking-dolls-freak-us-the-hell-outhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/110/watch-this-spaceWell, the Microsoft E3 2009 Press Conference has just finished, and it was a bit of a knock out. Those of you who have been keeping abreast of the news will know what's going on anyway, but for those who haven't - wow.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/110/watch-this-spacehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/e3-2009/109/the-feeble-have-landedOkay, so after a gruelling flight, we've landed in the almost hallucinogenically polluted city of Los Angeles. Smog covers the city, taxi drivers attempt to rip you off and ever-so-helpful hotel staff keep helping and helping until the realisation suddenly dawns that they want money from you.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/e3-2009/109/the-feeble-have-landedhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/107/representationI don't often buy computing magazines. Despite being a PC gamer at heart, I never really got to know the technical side of the platform, not beyond what I felt I needed. Whilst I've always considered myself slightly more 'well informed' then the average citizen when it come to these things, it pales in comparison to what an enthusiast knows. Today however, I decided to reach out a little, and picked up this month's copy of Personal Computer World. Apart from a feature article on the upcoming Windows 7, it had an interesting editorial on how videogames and computing are represented in the mainstream media...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/107/representationhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/106/synergyIn a world where videogames are becoming more mainstream, where they are worth more than traditional staples of home entertainment, and are (in theory) continuously pushing the boundaries of interactive entertainment, it's nice to see a bit of synergy going on with the older mediums.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/106/synergyhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/105/countdownSo... Metal Gear 5 eh?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/105/countdownhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/104/why-the-ps3-slim-is-realSo we've all seen the dodgy images of the slimmed down PS3 apearing all over the internet. Sony has claimed that it knows nothing about the whole debacle, but then they said the same thing about the PSP Slim and nearly every other Sony product that was ever leaked early.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/104/why-the-ps3-slim-is-realhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/103/the-social-contractSo, I was reading the latest Issue of Games TM yesterday (*cough*plug*cough), and I couldn't help but turn my eyes towards the MAG preview on page 31. I've always toyed with the idea of getting a PS3, as I'm not against the console in principle; it's just too damn expensive. However, if there was one game that would tempt me over the line, it would be this.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/103/the-social-contracthttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/100/another-one-bites-the-dustDespite the gaming industry ploughing on through this recession relatively unscathed, (although that is very relatively) it appears that not everyone has managed to navigate through no-man's economy land. Empire Interactive, a home-grown publisher from here in the UK (London, to be specific) finally went into administration yesterday, and 49 additional jobs were lost. A moment of silence, please...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/100/another-one-bites-the-dusthttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/97/digital-distribution-no-publishersWith digital distribution looking increasingly likely, does this mean the end of the publisher as we know it?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/97/digital-distribution-no-publishershttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/96/captivate-09A round-up of all our coverage from Capcom's Captivate 09 event in sunny Monte Carlohttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/96/captivate-09http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/93/qte-quite-tedious-excrementFirst of all, apologies for the puerile article title. It's not big, it's not clever and it's hardly the best way to lead into my first ever critical blog on NowGamer.com. And furthermore, apologies for ranting about a subject that is hardly original.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/93/qte-quite-tedious-excrementhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/92/what-if-derren-brown-was-one-of-usA short attention span isn't the greatest of assets during online play. Lose focus for even a second and you're left staring at a bloody stain on the ground. Unfortunately, it's something I suffer from quite badly.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/92/what-if-derren-brown-was-one-of-ushttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/90/mistrialI hope you've all been following the news about The Pirate Bay this week. What started with a shocking conviction of the owners of the torrent website by the Swedish judiciary, ended (which in hindsight, wasn't as shocking as it was interesting) with it being revealed that the Judge presiding over the case was affiliated with several Anti-Piracy groups. Sounds like it should be a movie...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/90/mistrialhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/89/room-serviceI love hotels, don't you? There's something very classy about staying in a hotel, even a relatively cheap one. It's the novelty of thing I like the most, a bit like Flying (which I also love doing, especially the airport bit). And just like with flying, you have to appreciate the whole experience: checking in, trying out the beds and the shower, checking out the resident bar, having breakfast the next morning... It's fun, and staying in one because you're on business is even more thrilling - it makes you feel important.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/89/room-servicehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/88/360-warranty-extension-for-e74With the previous 3 year warranty still in force, this extension is a good move from Microsoft.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/88/360-warranty-extension-for-e74http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/86/i-ninjaI believe ninja training is based on personal preparation for existence and the ability to overcome any obstacles they face along the way.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/86/i-ninjahttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/80/psychic-nostalgiaSo I got hit with a little bit of Nostalgia today. It happens from time to time, I'll see something that reminds me of something else back in the day, and then the urge to find it again just becomes too over powering. What I saw was a news item on Kotaku about the new animated opening sequence for the Triggerheart Exelica -Enhanced- edition. What it reminded me of was a quaint little beat em' up game called Psychic Force...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/80/psychic-nostalgiahttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/77/twitter-ye-notAnd so I've finally discovered a way to corrode the last small piece of humanity from the being that used to be Dan Howdle - Journalist At Law. To crumble away the last significant stoic landmass in which the United Nations of my mind still believed that there remained a scrap of human nature that wasn't hell-bent on succumbing to the two greatest harbingers of certain global destruction - celebrity worship and Facebook.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/77/twitter-ye-nothttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/76/mores-the-foolNormally when I come to write something like this, I like to browse the news or other websites for inspiration, so that I have something to talk about. It's not as easy as people think, being a writer. I'm a journalist by trade, and even I sometimes find it hard to find something to write about... and my job is basically to repeat what has already happened.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/76/mores-the-foolhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/72/gdc-journalism-and-free-speechSo I suppose someone ought to talk about the GDC, seeing as in it's nearly over and all, and this is a gaming blog. Although it's not exactly been an overwhelming one this year, but at least it's had its fair share of love of attention.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/72/gdc-journalism-and-free-speechhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/importexpert/70/insert-coinNintendo is expanding Virtual Console into coin-op territory but will this new service offer everything retro fans hope for?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/importexpert/70/insert-coinhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/68/greetingsBonjour, guten tag, aloha, shalom, namaste, hola, hylo, ol?nd hello to all of you out there on the interweb (damn Chris Wells for already using that phrase. Damn him, say I) and, more importantly, the readers of NowGamer.com.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/68/greetingshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/66/deus-ex-3-dev-prefers-360So I was just reading through Total PC Gaming's recent interview with Deus Ex 3's lead designer (plug) and something caught my eye - he said he prefers the 360 to the PC.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/66/deus-ex-3-dev-prefers-360http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/65/xbl-marketplace-pricing-worriesI am pretty sure I am not the only person that feels a little concerned about the trend that the Xbox LIVE Marketplace is beginning to follow.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/65/xbl-marketplace-pricing-worrieshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/63/street-fighter-iv-power-upTournament Edition coming soonhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/63/street-fighter-iv-power-uphttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/62/onlive-the-futureNow this is interesting.Those of you following the GDC coverage will probably have come across Rearden Studio's new gaming service they're touting called OnLive.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/62/onlive-the-futurehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/61/the-cycle-is-brokenAnd so an era has come to an end. On Friday, (Well, tomorrow night for us Brits), Ronald D. Moore's re-imagined vision of a classic sci-fi series came to an end. It had its up and downs, but it was probably one of the best pieces of TV I've seen in all my 21-years, and now it's over. I nearly cried....http://nowgamer.com/blogs/just-communication/61/the-cycle-is-brokenhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/60/check-this-out-legend-of-princessEver wondered what the Legend of Zelda would be like if it was reimagined as a side-scrolling action platformer?http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/60/check-this-out-legend-of-princesshttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/57/internet-explorer-8-now-availableA final release version of Internet Explorer 8 is now available to download from Microsoft.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/57/internet-explorer-8-now-availablehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/52/let-your-mum-playHardcore gaming. Casual gaming. In some respects there is as much point in debating this as there is hurling shoes high into the air to knock clouds from a clear blue sky.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/general/52/let-your-mum-playhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/50/mid-range-missileThe early half of any year is usually the time for publishers to put out all the games they were far too terrified to put up against the big hitters of the holiday period and so it has been this last few and upcoming months, but I've been wondering whether the strength of last year's late games has pushed more quality into early 2009. The mid-range games we're seeing right now are actually throwing us some real gems. Sure, they're incredibly niche and will only appeal to fractions of gamers, but someone, somewhere is going to enjoy at least one of them immensely.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/360-magazine/50/mid-range-missilehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/39/do-you-want-to-touch-meSega's PR was kind enough to visit the office a couple of days ago to give our magazines a robust demonstration of Platinum Games' upcoming Bayonetta. I snuck in the games room of course to get a peek, and looked very good indeed. Lots of Devil May Cry-style combat, combined with God of War-style set-pieces and spectacle.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/39/do-you-want-to-touch-mehttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/competition-time/34/win-xbox-360-tomb-raider-underworld-dlcIt's a caption competition, ladies and gents. Thanks to Eidos' ever-wonderful PR Department - they forced us to say that at phonepoint - we have five download codes available for the game's excellent DLC.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/competition-time/34/win-xbox-360-tomb-raider-underworld-dlchttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/last-minute-lowdown/29/empire-total-warI have to say, I've been wallowing in crushing indifference recently. There's been a few good games this year for sure, but have I had time to play them purely for pleasure? Have I balls. I've actually resorted to spending my spare time inside the World Of Warcraft, making enemies by brandishing my +whatever blade of 'You want one of these, but you'd have to grind that instance 400 times to get it... ner, ner, nee ner ner'.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/last-minute-lowdown/29/empire-total-warhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/ps3-insider/28/i-machine-manI am Machine Man. Despite being one of, if not the most important beat-'em-up characters ever born, I have yet to be offered any major roles. But I try, yes I try, and I try, try, try.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/ps3-insider/28/i-machine-manhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/22/its-the-final-countdownIt's 12:55pm on launch day, as I, the Games Editor of NowGamer, type this, the first sentence of quite a few, in my first blog entry - the first... of quite a few. It's two hours, four minutes and twenty-four seconds until the fruits of our labour hit you, the general public.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/casual-games/22/its-the-final-countdownhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/13/letter-from-americaYour friendly neighbourhood exiled Brit spends too much time in the sinister world of hunting games...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/13/letter-from-americahttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/14/flatout-to-walmartMan cannot live by gloriously spitting lead into the doughy and malleable Havok 2 bodies of his enemies alone. Jesus said that.http://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/14/flatout-to-walmarthttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/16/lack-of-gun-controlEx-patriot The Shape spends a giddy day at the gunnery range and discovers that man's best friend is his 50-cal...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/16/lack-of-gun-controlhttp://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/17/trapped-in-the-meat-packing-planet-at-4amThe Shape extols the virtues of Microsoft's beautiful Xbox Live online gaming service, surely the finest invention since the leaf-blower...http://nowgamer.com/blogs/techblog-2.0/17/trapped-in-the-meat-packing-planet-at-4am