Ahhhh, Memories…

[Update: If you find the drunken meanderings of the Game Hermit amusing, check out his new rant at OedipusGames.com. Read game commentary and podcast updates served with that same side dish of sarcasm seen here.]

So this post is a big Thank You and a shout out to the folks at fellow WordPress blog The Heads Up! Display Show. Jim and his crew produce a regular podcast that’s definitely worth checking out if you enjoy round table discussions of video game news and updates on what the hosts are playing.

Long story short I won a code for XBLA Doom from The Heads Up! Display Show after I left a comment about how fun this game was as it was one of my first introductions to modding PC games. And playing Enya with the sound muted (Don’t judge until you’ve tried it).

Normally the Hermit wouldn’t stoop to pandering to schwag, but The Heads Up! Show has made it onto my list of weekly shows. And it’s Doom. Nuff said.

[Update: If you find the drunken meanderings of the Game Hermit amusing, check out his new rant at OedipusGames.com. Read game commentary and podcast updates served with that same side dish of sarcasm seen here.]

How S.P.E.C.I.A.L.! Fallout 3 MMO Gets Green Light, Headed for Vegas

[Update: If you find the drunken meanderings of the Game Hermit amusing, check out his new rant at OedipusGames.com. Read game commentary and podcast updates served with that same side dish of sarcasm seen here.]

Fallout 3 for the Xbox 360 could arguably go down as the Gamehermit’s Game of the Year for ’08. Bethesda did a masterful job of creating a world a gamer could both believe and empathize with. Anyone who got frustrated when the game ended knows what I’m talking about here.

So when news that Bethesda had terminated their agreement with Interplay broke last week, I was more than a little disappointed. And more than a little relieved. Since 2007 Interplay has held the rights to develop Bethesda’s Fallout 3 IP into a MMO, and Bethesda’s recent actions were falsely construed by the Hermit as a sign of the times. Outwardly downtrodden, but inwardly releasing a small sigh of relief (the Hermit is on the 12-Step for EverQuest II), I assumed the Fallout MMO was dead.

Rejoice, then, all ye that despair! Hope shines eternal. Chris Faylor and Nick Breckon of WordPress blog -Yosuan Iam- today report:

At a press event in the United Kingdom, Fallout 3 developer Bethesda today announced a new externally-developed entry in the post-apocalyptic role-playing series. Titled Fallout New Vegas, it’s being developed by Obsidian Entertainment (Alpha Protocol, Neverwinter Nights 2, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II) with PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions planed for a simultaneous launch in 2010.

New Vegas will be an RPG in the style of Fallout 3, Bethesda noted, but the company did not confirm if it uses the same engine. The studio also stressed that it came up with the idea for New Vegas internally and then pitched it to Obsidian, not the other way around. (via yosuaniam.wordpress.com)

Sure, they said RPG, but they just cut Interplay out of the deal. Read between the lines. Planning a three-way simultaneous release has online MMO written all over it.

Let the Hermit have his little dreams.

[Update: If you find the drunken meanderings of the Game Hermit amusing, check out his new rant at OedipusGames.com. Read game commentary and podcast updates served with that same side dish of sarcasm seen here.]

Edge Magazine: What Frakking Recession?

The Hermit is way behind the times on this one. However, with all the video game magazine titles that have recently gone the way of the dodo, it’s damn good to see this. Edge Magazine celebrated their 200th issue by printing 200 separate covers. Apparently subscribers received the Little Big Planet issue while retail versions were shipped with a silver porn wrapper to assure anonymity.

With 200 different pieces, Edge has taken a great snapshot of the history of video games. The full collection, along with some wallpapers, can be found on the Edge site, or if you prefer to see all the covers on one page check here.

[Update: If you find the drunken meanderings of the Game Hermit amusing, check out his new rant at OedipusGames.com. Read game commentary and podcast updates served with that same side dish of sarcasm seen here.]

The Next Gen Console

The phrase “next gen” gets its fair share of overuse in the game press. Some (i.e. mostly those producing the present hardware) would argue we are currently gaming on next gen consoles. I would invite them all to reevaluate their command of the English language.

Back to point. Blizzard’s recent non-statement at GDC, and their subsequent retraction, concerning their involvement in the future of consoles reopened that next gen can o’ worms. Besides all the corporate posturing and evasive “he said, she said” nonsense, if you look closely, you will find some some nuggets of truth.

No, not whether Blizzard was actually talking with Microsoft about future consoles. Imagine two representatives of large software/entertainment companies talking shop? Inconceivable!

No, the interesting points are when people start talking specifics when it comes to what to expect from the so-called next generation of gaming technology. Not the buzzword bingo VPs sling concerning the “immersive technologies” being developed to “transcend traditional user experience,” or some such drivel. Real ideas.

One such truism actually came from Gameindustry.biz’s original article reporting Blizzard and Microsoft in the sack. Concerning console manufacturers, or presumably Microsoft specifically, Blizzard’s Rob Pardo said,

If I was them, I’d be sitting around trying to figure out what’s a cool input device that supports all types of new kinds of games.

Not surprisingly, most of the contemporary ideas for the future pertain to how we interact with the gaming environment. Sadly, we can’t seem to break the mold of a console being a box with a controller hanging off one end. It probably won’t happen next generation either.

Fortunately, there are a lot of independent and creative minds at work on the input side. While none of these inputs will eliminate the need for a central console, each one gets props for thinking outside the box.

Bayonetta and BioShock 2 Previews Fuel Feverish Anticipation

More than a few developers are better at selling games than making them. Sometimes you find yourself wondering if a development team had access to even a tenth of the funds that obviously went into advertising said crap title. And don’t even get me started on “Collector’s Editions” of shovelware.

That being said, we’ve got two new previews for titles that just may live up to the community’s expectations. If BioShock’s sequel can deliver an experience even close to the original, then I’m already sold. The following preview sealed the deal. 2K Games officially has my $60.

On the other hand, Sega’s Bayonetta is forcing me to keep my fingers crossed. Forums are abuzz with accusations of “it’s a Devil May Cry clone!” However, there’s no consensus as to whether that’s a bad or a good thing. The title has some great gimmicks going for it, with a massive array of weapons including high heel guns. Plus, Bayonetta’s special attacks derive from her mystic Hair, which is actually her outfit. No, that’s not a skin-tight latex suit. It’s her hair, shades of Marvel’s Medusa. So, opening up a can of whoop-ass leaves our protagonist in the buff. I can’t imagine that will sell to prepubescent boys.

So hit the jump for an undersea plasmid BBQ and a sexy librarian fighting dragons.

Master Chief as Muse

In a blatant effort to post consecutive rants with the keyword “teabag”, the Gamehermit proudly brings you some of the finest multimedia produced in homage to the legendary Spartan, Master Chief.

Any Halo fan who can get on the web but not into a Halo match knows one thing: there is a LOT of bad Halo rap out there on the interwebs. You won’t find any of that vomit-inducing drivel here. Well, just one, but it’s bad in a good way.

Halo fans, FPS players, and all those that want to know why this post has “tea bag” as a keyword, hit the jump.

Teabag McCain!

As far as being related to video games, this really stretches it. And it’s juvenile. And I’m slightly ashamed at the “Liberals” for having so much fun with it. Okay, now I’m lying. It’s deliciously juvenile.

If you’re unaware, those wacky Republicans have started a campaign to send teabags to Washington, a symbolic nod to the Boston Tea Party’s demonstration against excessive taxation by King George III. Their rallying cry? “Tea bag the White House!”

Now, if you don’t play First Person Shooters, the humor may be lost on you. Go do some research and come back before you watch the video. For rest of us, hit the jump and enjoy a wonderful clip from the Rachel Maddow Show. It gets a little slow in the middle, but it’s worth sticking around to hear “Who wouldn’t want to teabag John McCain?” at the 5:47 mark. Plus, any Halo fiend will love the “teabagging 24/7″ snippet at 6:00 as well.

Flying Under the Radar

Not to kick the Gamefly dead horse too often, but besides the obvious, the site can be useful for getting updates on game launch delays and new titles. The “Coming Soon” area is a pretty common sense guide to what to expect. A title you’ve never heard of with no box art is set to release in two months? Good luck with that. On the other hand, sometimes PR guys drop the ball and a confirmed game is just short on details.

But that’s just Gamefly. Renting thousands of titles across all major consoles and handhelds, you’d have to be fairly anal to expect them to meticulously detail every last potential title. Surely Xbox.com will have some small nugget of information? You probably won’t be surprised at the answer.

Gamefly’s “Coming Soon” for the Xbox 360 had three titles set to release in the next three months with virtually nothing but cover art, publisher, category, and release date. So what’s up with these games?

Cover Art Flashbacks

Something surprisingly good came out of my latest visit to Gamestop. That’s right, the Gamehermit actually donned the UV-Shieldsuit and ventured forth to the nether-regions of the most despised of game resellers. The object of my quest was the last-gen Conker Live and Reloaded, but more on that later.

The bastards* knew they had me when I asked for the game specifically. After a check on the computer, the GS employee stated there was one for $17.99 as he pointed to the bin of $5.00 Xbox games I was searching. Of course.

Long story short, I arrived back at the old shack $20 lighter but with a slightly used Conker Live and Reloaded. Sans cover jacket.

So here comes the good part. After washing all the Gamestop off me I set to finding a replacement for the missing cover art. I found a passable jacket using google image, but then I stumbled across two sites that specialize in videogame jacket art:

Coverproject.net – The Cover Project is a sweet trip down memory lane. Over 9000 games total, with a major focus on old school. NES, Atari 2600 and Colecovision titles abound, with a descent group of contemporary console titles as well. Virtually every major console through the ages is represented to some degree.

If you had a NES you remember the horrible Mega Man box. Abominable art aside, the frigging sole screenshot on the back cover is the stage select. How did this even sell? Now, the PAL Mega Man, he was suave. Note that both of these links take you to a thumb, because Cover Project has you manually download the 4+Meg files.

CDcovers.cc – If you’re looking to actually replace a cover for a more recent used game purchase, CD Covers boasts itself as the “World’s Largest Cover Archive”, and they might not be boasting. As of yesterday the site had 1,903 Xbox 360 games, 1,956 Wii games, 5,542 Xbox games, and 358 PS3 titles. Definately more titles overall, but consoles only go as far back as PS1, Dreamcast and Gamecube. CD Covers loads the image in your browser as opposed to Cover Project, which could be valuable if you want to get a detailed inspection before you save. Bonus: CD Covers has over 236,000 DVD covers as well.

So if you’re in the market for a new game insert or just want a Atari-fueled flashback, try checking these time-killers out.

———-

*By bastards I mean the Corporate Gamestop beancounting bastards, not the poor little bastards that work for them.

[Update: If you find the drunken meanderings of the Game Hermit amusing, check out his new rant at OedipusGames.com. Read game commentary and podcast updates served with that same side dish of sarcasm seen here.]

Blood Bowl! More info trickles out with new site

[UPDATE: New Post on Blood Bowl Star Players!]

I previously stated that Gamehermit’s Rant wouldn’t be a news page, but somehow this little gem has been missed by the major game sites. I just couldn’t resist.

Bloodbowl-game.com went live this morning.

Nerdgasm. Seriously. If you’re not familiar with the upcoming title, Blood Bowl is a former boardgame RPG turned football sim in this latest incarnation. The genius is: you can play turn-based strategy style or real-time football sim style. Two ways for me to lose at a football game, joy!

The page adds a lot of info to the sparse details provided by Cyanide Studios and Focus Home Interactive to date. They’ve been slowly leaking details for some months now, and I’ve been salivating over them like a crazed ferret, but this page finally adds some character stats to the already intriguing gameplay.

We already knew about the eight playable races: Humans, Orcs, Dwarfs, Skaven, Lizardmen, Goblins, Wood Elves and Chaos. Bloodbowl-game.com outlines the strengths and weaknesses of each race  plus the “Big guy” character for each. My favorite so far is the Treeman, but apparently he has a “bad tendency of taking root in the middle of the field.” This sounds too good to be true.

Some other new bits, like the equipment breakdown of four class of items, seem pretty standard fare for this type of game. You know, the RPG/Football sim genre. Two great tastes that taste great together.

If you’ve been awaiting this game with the same feverish anticipation as I, then head on over now and get in on the first-come-first-serve beta testing.

[Update: If you find the drunken meanderings of the Game Hermit amusing, check out his new rant at OedipusGames.com. Read game commentary and podcast updates served with that same side dish of sarcasm seen here.]