Hello, all.
Andy has already kindly introduced me and provided the introduction for my new column, man games. I thought that I ought to introduce myself a little further.
I have been gaming since my early adolescence. In those enchanted days of my first forays into gaming, my opportunities were sparse but cherished. My parents did not consider video games to be a very high priority for them. That is not surprising. And so for awhile, my primary opportunity to play games was at friends' houses. I always jumped on these chances. And, in the process, made gaming at that time into a social activity for me.
Back then, I played some of the more primitive PC games, such as Oregon Trail - which I got to play at school sometimes (gasp!) - as well as Hugo's House of Horror's, Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, and Scorched Earth. Then there was the much wished-for Nintendo Entertainment System, which my parents eventually bought for me. Even then I only had precious few games.
As time went on, adulthood brought on the ability to buy and play games as a chose. Now I run into the problem of having games that I don't even get around to playing. It is a state of affairs I would not have imagined in those young days. Now that I look back, though, there was something special about those times of trying to squeeze every last bit of fun out of those old, low-tech games. You cannot go back to where you came from sometimes. But I am happy I was there.
These days, I share my gaming hobby with my beautiful fiance and fellow geek, Linda. She is not as much a gamer as I am. But that has its own fun. I get to introduce her to games she has never had a chance to see before. So once again, I have returned to gaming's social aspects - not just in terms of multiplayer games - but in single player games enjoyed with others.
It has been and will be a fun journey.
God be with you.
Steely
Monday, January 25, 2010
"Man Games"
Hello everyone, and welcome to the first ever edition of "man games." Those who are unfamiliar with Linux and Unix might be somewhat bemused by the title of this post. This is not, in fact, a column about games for men. Rather, in Linux and Unix the “man” command in the terminal brings up a text manual for the requested subject. For example, “man grep” would bring up the manual page for the grep command. So man games is, in fact, a column about games on Linux. Many of these games are also available on Windows, so if you are a Windows user then you might find some good stuff here too.
If you have never used Linux, I would encourage you to give it a try. At the basic level, Linux can be very user friendly. An excellent starting point is the Ubuntu distribution, which has wide compatibility and a helpful user base.
The truth is that I am fairly new Linux myself and through this column you will be joining me on my own journey of exploring the gaming opportunities on this robust and powerful family of operating systems. And if you are new to Linux or have never tried it, then you can rest assured that I was once in your shoes.
You can obtain a liveCD version of Ubuntu Linux to try it out without changing a thing on your current system here at the Ubuntu site:
http://www.ubuntu.com/
As a final note, I am proud to be hosted at the Catholic Video Gamers blog. God and the Catholic Church are of prime importance to my life.
Steely
posted via proxy by Andy Kirchoff
If you have never used Linux, I would encourage you to give it a try. At the basic level, Linux can be very user friendly. An excellent starting point is the Ubuntu distribution, which has wide compatibility and a helpful user base.
The truth is that I am fairly new Linux myself and through this column you will be joining me on my own journey of exploring the gaming opportunities on this robust and powerful family of operating systems. And if you are new to Linux or have never tried it, then you can rest assured that I was once in your shoes.
You can obtain a liveCD version of Ubuntu Linux to try it out without changing a thing on your current system here at the Ubuntu site:
http://www.ubuntu.com/
As a final note, I am proud to be hosted at the Catholic Video Gamers blog. God and the Catholic Church are of prime importance to my life.
Steely
posted via proxy by Andy Kirchoff
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
New Contributor!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooood Morning Catholic Video Gamer readers!
Today I have the privilege of introducing a new contributor: Brian "Steely" Swan. He'll have his first post up shortly. Welcome to the blog, Steely!
Today I have the privilege of introducing a new contributor: Brian "Steely" Swan. He'll have his first post up shortly. Welcome to the blog, Steely!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Facebook games?
Everyone on earth is STILL playing farmville, Mafia Wars, and oodles of other video games on various social networks. The legendary game creator Sid Meier now claims he's making a Civilization game for facebook, as well!
Yet I've done everything I can to avoid "social network-based" video games. I spend too much time on both social networks and video games separately already.
That I don't spend time with this particular breed of video game, however, also means I can't attest to their quality. I CAN say, however, that they certainly LOOK like garbage - Farmville = cheap graphics, loading issues, and time-based gameplay that rewards prolonged screen exposure as opposed to skillful time management.
Why not just play one of the better iterations of Harvest Moon instead? Is there really something different about them?
Yet I've done everything I can to avoid "social network-based" video games. I spend too much time on both social networks and video games separately already.
That I don't spend time with this particular breed of video game, however, also means I can't attest to their quality. I CAN say, however, that they certainly LOOK like garbage - Farmville = cheap graphics, loading issues, and time-based gameplay that rewards prolonged screen exposure as opposed to skillful time management.
Why not just play one of the better iterations of Harvest Moon instead? Is there really something different about them?
What's on the Horizon for 2010?
Though I've had some success in eliminating my gaming backlog this holiday season, I'd be kidding myself if I committed to doing this throughout the coming year.
So, here's a list of video games slated for a 2010 release that I'm looking forward to:
Pokemon Heartgold/Soulsilver (I'm a pokemaniac. Need I say more?)
Dragon Quest IX (portable Dragon Quest! WIll the soundtrack be as good as VIII's though?)
Final Fantasy XIII (all indications are that it is NOT like Final Fantasy XII, so I'm all in!)
Star Wars: The Old Republic (in spite of it being an MMO)
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (even though I haven't really played the first one!)
Yeah, it's rpg-heavy, but I'm a sucker for the genre, and even though there really isn't much else I'm interested in, DQ and Pokemon alone (let alone together!) will be enough for me in the coming year.
Dark Void, Capcom's latest action game, is out soon, too...anyone gonna go out and buy that one?
So, here's a list of video games slated for a 2010 release that I'm looking forward to:
Pokemon Heartgold/Soulsilver (I'm a pokemaniac. Need I say more?)
Dragon Quest IX (portable Dragon Quest! WIll the soundtrack be as good as VIII's though?)
Final Fantasy XIII (all indications are that it is NOT like Final Fantasy XII, so I'm all in!)
Star Wars: The Old Republic (in spite of it being an MMO)
Super Mario Galaxy 2 (even though I haven't really played the first one!)
Yeah, it's rpg-heavy, but I'm a sucker for the genre, and even though there really isn't much else I'm interested in, DQ and Pokemon alone (let alone together!) will be enough for me in the coming year.
Dark Void, Capcom's latest action game, is out soon, too...anyone gonna go out and buy that one?
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Bitten by the poke-bug!
For the second year in a row. Anyone got any remedy for it? My brothers go back to school on Monday, and we're aiming to finish New Super Mario Bros. Wii sooner rather than later.
On a side note: Anyone have some "co-op" wii game recommendations, aside from the various "LEGO" variants? I've got relatives anxious for a new multiplayer wii game for the family, but I couldn't recommend anything outside of the New Super Mario Bros...and frankly, they seemed fairly disinterested in it, anyway.
On a side note: Anyone have some "co-op" wii game recommendations, aside from the various "LEGO" variants? I've got relatives anxious for a new multiplayer wii game for the family, but I couldn't recommend anything outside of the New Super Mario Bros...and frankly, they seemed fairly disinterested in it, anyway.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Overall Game of the Year
Ok, confession time: I really don't think I've played enough video games across the course of 2009 to make my own definitive declaration regarding the very best gaming experience(s) that this past year had to offer. Thomas McDonald of GAMES magazine and the National Catholic Register (readers of this blog may recognize him from his recent Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 review discussed here on this blog within the past 2 weeks), however, has separated the wheat from the chaff, as it were, and has what some will consider a surprising choice for "Electronic Game of the Year": Batman: Arkham Asylum.
Full text of the review, with some parts bolded for emphasis by yours truly:
"Batman: Arkham Asylum was a true last-minute upset. The idea that a licensed superhero game might not only be outstanding, but qualify as the best game of the year, just wasn’t feasible. Sure, there have been a few good superhero titles: Marvel Ultimate Alliance, The Spider-Man and Hulk series, and…actually, that’s about it. None ever transcended their license to become a great games on their own. But, as we explored Arkham Asylum more deeply, all the gameplay elements began to evolve, and the locations and story line opened up. We started making shocking comparisons—not to other superhero games, but to certified masterpieces like Bioshock (arguably the finest game of the last decade).
Yes, Arkham Asylum is that good. The combination of three disparate elements—stealth action, plain old brawling, and even a bit of detective work—takes some time to gel, but once it does, the game becomes almost impossible to put down. The upgrade system and gradual introduction of new abilities are remarkably satisfying, and 240 “Riddler puzzles” (including riddles that involve careful examination of the environment) add a tremendous depth and flexibility to the gameplay. The production is topnotch, with performances by the stellar voice cast of Batman: The Animated Series (including Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the definitive Joker) and a terrific story and script by comic book writer and TV producer Paul Dini. The film is saturated with Batman lore and fan-service, and loaded to the gills with villains from the Dark Knight’s rogues’ gallery. It is, simply (and without any undue hyperbole), the best superhero game, ever. —Thomas L. McDonald
Haven't played the game, so I can't comment, but I know Mr. McDonald isn't the first to compare this game to Bioshock, nor the only one to name it Game of the Year for 2009.
Overall it's been a pretty good year for action game fans, with Resident Evil 5, God of War, Batman, Deadly Creatures, Uncharted 2, Assassin's Creed 2, and Bayonetta receiving accolades from both critics and fans alike. Modern Warfare 2 and Beatles Rock Band are also bound to get the GOTY nod from quite a few people, as well. I've been playing too much of 2008 (and even 2007's) games to weigh in on this subject, but I'm still curious to hear what others are thinking, if only to know what to buy from the Toys R' Us bargain bin a few months from now. Give me the scoop, readers: What's the best videogame of 2009?
Full text of the review, with some parts bolded for emphasis by yours truly:
"Batman: Arkham Asylum was a true last-minute upset. The idea that a licensed superhero game might not only be outstanding, but qualify as the best game of the year, just wasn’t feasible. Sure, there have been a few good superhero titles: Marvel Ultimate Alliance, The Spider-Man and Hulk series, and…actually, that’s about it. None ever transcended their license to become a great games on their own. But, as we explored Arkham Asylum more deeply, all the gameplay elements began to evolve, and the locations and story line opened up. We started making shocking comparisons—not to other superhero games, but to certified masterpieces like Bioshock (arguably the finest game of the last decade).
Yes, Arkham Asylum is that good. The combination of three disparate elements—stealth action, plain old brawling, and even a bit of detective work—takes some time to gel, but once it does, the game becomes almost impossible to put down. The upgrade system and gradual introduction of new abilities are remarkably satisfying, and 240 “Riddler puzzles” (including riddles that involve careful examination of the environment) add a tremendous depth and flexibility to the gameplay. The production is topnotch, with performances by the stellar voice cast of Batman: The Animated Series (including Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the definitive Joker) and a terrific story and script by comic book writer and TV producer Paul Dini. The film is saturated with Batman lore and fan-service, and loaded to the gills with villains from the Dark Knight’s rogues’ gallery. It is, simply (and without any undue hyperbole), the best superhero game, ever. —Thomas L. McDonald
Haven't played the game, so I can't comment, but I know Mr. McDonald isn't the first to compare this game to Bioshock, nor the only one to name it Game of the Year for 2009.
Overall it's been a pretty good year for action game fans, with Resident Evil 5, God of War, Batman, Deadly Creatures, Uncharted 2, Assassin's Creed 2, and Bayonetta receiving accolades from both critics and fans alike. Modern Warfare 2 and Beatles Rock Band are also bound to get the GOTY nod from quite a few people, as well. I've been playing too much of 2008 (and even 2007's) games to weigh in on this subject, but I'm still curious to hear what others are thinking, if only to know what to buy from the Toys R' Us bargain bin a few months from now. Give me the scoop, readers: What's the best videogame of 2009?
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