video games

Binary Domain Impressions

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Though you’ve probably never heard of it, Binary Domain was a landmark title for Sega (in a bad way). As Sega’s most recent boxed release, it’s failure at retail contributed to substantial worldwide layoffs and a major restructuring of its publishing strategy.

Was it a bad game? Not from what I’ve read from the reviews, and general discussion on the internet. Because I was looking for something to scratch my Vanquish itch, I had this on my list of games to pick up when it hit $20. Though the game isn’t very old, it didn’t take long for it to drop to that price in my area. Is it the Japanese Hamburger I was looking for?

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Check Out My EVO 2012 Wrap-Up on Splitkick.com

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Last weekend, the Super Bowl of fighting games took place in Las Vegas. If you missed out on the action, or are looking for someone else’s point-of-view on what went down, I encourage you to check out my EVO 2012 wrap-up on Splitkick.com!

Max Payne 3 Review

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After the events of the second game, Max has hit rock bottom. With nothing more than a substance addiction, and a commitment to do his job properly, he begins anew in Brazil as a bodyguard for a wealthy family. It doesn’t take long before things go south, and it’s up to Max to save the day the only way he knows how: by shooting dudes in slow motion.

Though the events of the third game take place almost immediately after the second, there’s been an almost decade-long gap between the releases. Since 2003, the franchise has changed hands from Remedy to Rockstar, and the genre has evolved quite a bit. Is Max Payne 3 a return to form? Or washed up like its protagonist at the beginning of the game?

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Has 2012 Been a Slow Year for Video Games, Or is it Just Me?

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The last few have been tremendous for gamers. It seemed like we were getting top-tier releases all year long. This year, I feel like I haven’t played much of anything. I went many months without buying any games, or seeing anything on release lists that piqued my interest. Sure, there have been a few marquee releases already, such as Mass Effect 3 and Diablo III, but the 2012 release line-up to date has seemed pretty underwhelming to me.

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Check Out My Kid Icarus: Uprising Review on Splitkick.com

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Apologies for the long delay, but my review for Kid Icarus: Uprising is finally live on Splitkick! It took me awhile to play through because of its surprisingly long length, and a really long time to write. I struggled with it for weeks, and wrote three completely different versions of the review before finally settling on one to submit for edit.

Thanks to the team at Splitkick for editing, and publishing the piece, as its a game I want to encourage others to try, even with its fundamental flaws. If you’re still on the fence about it, check out my review at Splitkick.


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Dreams of Working in the Game-Making Industry

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Do you have dreams of making video games? If so, are you actively honing your skills? Or are your dreams simmering in the back of your mind till the time comes?

There was a brief moment in time as a kid when I listed “video game maker” as one of my dream jobs. Though I had no idea what the process of making a video game entailed, it seemed like a logical occupation to aim for because of my love for the medium. I sort of wish I could tell you that my story ends happily ever after with the dream game-making job (whatever that means), but my story may at least be blog post worthy.

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In Defense of Japanese Hamburgers

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Not too long ago, I played Ninja Gaiden II on the XBOX 360. Though I had a number of problems with it, I would never criticize it for not being “western” enough. Apparently, Team Ninja didn’t feel the same way. They tried to infuse their franchise with elements considered to be western, which proved to be a failure for Ninja Gaiden III.

In an interview with Gamasutra, Team Ninja head Yosuke Hayashi explained what happened.

“It seems like we made a Japanese hamburger for the west…Maybe as a Japanese developer, we need to make good Japanese food … and that’s what people are wanting from a Japanese developer.”

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Pick-Up Post: Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Mini Mates

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For about a year now, I’ve had Spiderman, Wolverine, Ryu and Akuma figures sitting on my desk. I’ve always arranged them as if they were ready to duke it out in a Marvel vs. Capcom battle. I always though it’d be cool to have one more Marvel figure and one more Capcom figure to ‘complete’ a 3v3 team.

Not too long ago, I was able to do just that, when I coincidentally found a stash of Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Mini Mates figures at an out-of-town comic book store.

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Check Out My Viewer’s Guide to EVO 2012 Now on Splitkick.com

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Get hype!

The Evolution Championship Series is just a few weeks away. To get you ready for all of the action, I’ve put together a viewer’s guide to EVO, which you can now check out at Splitkick. This covers where to watch it, what games will be played, as well as some of the big story lines and players to look out for. If you have any interest in watching the event, definitely check out the guide for some additional context.

If You Could Be the Best in the World at One Video Game, What Would That Game Be?

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Also, why would you choose that game? Would you want to be recognized as the best because you have the world’s highest score? The world’s fastest speed run? Would you want to be unbeatable in competition? Or would you want to be considered the best for some other reason? Let’s discuss in the comments!