Haters Gonna Hate: The Worst of My XBOX Live Message Inbox

It is unfortunately, a fairly well-known fact that the online video game community is not the most pleasant place in the world. Especially in the competitive gaming space, where there are no shortage of people spewing hateful epithets from their mouths, or sending over colourfully-worded text messages to others about others’ in-game behaviour.

During the last few weeks of playing Marvel vs. Capcom 3, I’ve received an abnormally large amount of hate messages; way more than I ever did playing Street Fighter. I don’t play Marvel to infuriate others, but for whatever reason, the player base seems to either really hate me, or are just a talkative bunch.

I thought I’d share some of the messages I’ve received with you just for kicks (and to expose some of these jerks who really should behave themselves). As much as I’d like to expose their gamertags, I have censored those (and any coarse language) out of respect to the message senders and to my readers. Anyway, here’s a taste of some of the worst messages I’ve received through XBOX Live of late.

Continue reading

Will You Ever Grow Out of Video Games?

A few months ago, my dad came down to the basement as I was playing a video game. I don’t remember which game, but I guess that’s irrelevant to the story. He said something that kind of struck a chord with me. “Are you ever gonna give this up?”

Once upon a time, video games used to be a kids-only deal. My dad used to be into games during the Atari/golden era of arcades, but he pretty much dropped games because that’s what adults did at the time. I’m well into my 20s, but I haven’t let the medium go and don’t plan on doing so any time soon. He’s still confused as to why I haven’t given up this ‘kiddie thing’.

Continue reading

Novril’s MS Paint Guide on How to Beat Phoenix


YouTube user Novril is back! I loved his first MS Paint video guide on how to beat Sentinel, and this time he’s back with a great guide on how to beat Phoenix. It’s comforting to see that much of the Phoenix knowledge I wrote about a few months ago is in here, but he also has some great strategies I wasn’t aware of until watching this video.

Also, the MS Paint style and charm are pretty funny. I’m looking forward to newer installments of this series, as I think the world needs a guide on how to beat the over-powered Yun and Yang in Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition. Anyway, click through to see the Phoenix video and share your appreciation with Novril if you enjoy this series!

Continue reading

In Third Person’s Reader Trends: May 2011 Edition

It’s usually that time of the month when I’d write about In Third Person’s top 5 posts for the month. I don’t want to do that anymore, because I don’t think it told that interesting of a story. I don’t think it benefits anyone when I write about the same 5 or 6 top posts every month that just so happen to be Google aggregate favourites (I’m looking at you, Gaming’s Definitive Moustaches).

Instead, I thought I’d do something more interesting with the numbers. Let me know if you enjoy this format better!

Continue reading

Rapture Special: Pro-Tips from Video Games on How to Survive the May 21, 2011 Apocalypse


If you’re reading this, then the supposed Rapture scheduled for May 21, 2011, has not ended the world as we know it. That, or it’s happening as you read this and you really should be doing something other than reading this post, like trying to live or accepting your fate.

The apocalypse has been subject matter in video games for about as long as video games has existed as a medium. I bet you can’t count the number of times you’ve saved the world, tried to save the world, or tried to survive in a world that has already been ravaged by the apocalypse. Let’s take a look at some of those games and see if these games can prepare us for the real-life Rapture…if it isn’t already too late.

Continue reading

Eyes and Ears-On: Video Games Live 2011

My first experience with Video Games Live was magical. At the time, the concert series had just started its first tour, and the idea of having an orchestra perform video game music was quite new. I’ll never forget all of the awesome moments from that first show, from the amazing renditions of video game music I grew up with, to the energy of the fully-engaged crowd, to the fun my brother and I had playing Mario Kart DS with dozens of audience members during the intermission. I told myself that I would always come back for more when the show was in town.

Though I’ve missed at least one show in my area since, I made sure to carve out time in my calendar for Video Games Live this year, which was just a few days ago. There to enjoy it with me were my brother, who was anxious to experience Video Games Live again, and my girlfriend Steff, who had never been to a Video Games Live show before. Was Video Games Live 2011 able to replicate (or improve on) the magic that brought all of us there on this particular evening?

Continue reading

The Greatest Bits is Back With a Donkey Kong Country Remix Album

Friend of In Third Person, The Greatest Bits, is back! In my interview with him, he mentioned that he was working on a Donkey Kong Country remix album. Just a few months later, it’s out!

Continue reading

In Third Person Exclusive Interview With The Greatest Bits

The Greatest Bits is a DJ and chiptune producer from the Netherlands. His debut release, Mega Man 2, features covers of one of the greatest gaming soundtracks of all-time. I was fortunate enough to get an interview with him to discuss the album, his love of video games and his future plans. You can listen to samples of his Mega Man 2 album here while you read the interview below!

Continue reading

Street Fighter: The Complete History Review

 

Reading books is generally not my thing. I like to read magazines and websites, but novels and other content in book format are generally a turn-off for me. I get very intimidated at the commitment required to read through hundreds of pages of text. When it comes to reading, I prefer my content in smaller chunks that I can plow through in short order and be done with it.

With that said, I avidly read through Street Fighter: The Complete History, which I received as a Christmas gift from my girlfriend. I’m by no means a book reviewer, nor am I going to turn this into Oprah’s Book Club, but I thought I’d share my thoughts about it now that I’ve read through this 160+ page chronicle of my favourite video game franchise.

Continue reading

Heavy Rain Movie Being Made

I’m normally not one to get excited about video game movies, because they’re basically all terrible. But if any video game had a shot at being a good movie, I think Heavy Rain is that game. According to Variety, who broke the news,Warner is going to be the one taking that shot. They’ve hired on David Milch, Bob Shaye and Michael Lynn to produce the film. For whatever reason, they’re also dropping the word ‘heavy’ from the title, as the film will simply be called “Rain”.

Continue reading