Faceless, insular and cruel.. words to describe most internet communities to a point but it rings especially true for oft-revered news/discussion site NeoGAF. I just don't get this place. I can respect the content users dig up but it's worse than Rotten Tomatoes for cliquey white noise and wannabe comedians. Everyone likes a good photoshop or a screenshot scoop, no one likes smarmy /b/tards typing for the sake of typing. At least I don't.

I don't get a kick out of perpetuating the latest meme craze. I don't want to keep up with the speed the conversations move at. Hell it took me years of lurking round these parts before I felt the urge to add something to the discourse. The regulars over there obviously know what they're talking about, good topics are brought up often. But the elitist crap that comes with it makes NeoGAF seem like one big toilet to me.

Gamespot Forums: same topics, 50% more fanboys, 100% less pretentious! Mmm mmm good.

In which I indulge my inner old fart and reminisce about the games that made me the man I am today. It's Dusty Old Stuff!

Oh Larry Laffer, you had it all didn't you? King of Vegas, risque TV production assistant, you won a trip on some cruise, even solved mysteries with that Passionate Patti dame. The burlesque romps, the double entendres, the d*ldos! Who could resist that kind of charm? I know it had me looking up inane 70's political trivia in hopes of cracking the entry code into LSL1 during my younger years.

But as titilating as it was to type "pork the waitress" into the parser and actually get a response, somewhere it all went wrong. I'll reluctantly admit the Leisure Suit Larry titles were not exactly shining examples of exceptional gaming. The puzzles were confusing, you died constantly, and I rarely laughed out loud at the "jokes." There's wasn't even all that much of the dirty filthy to be found, though Al Lowe always included some most excellent easter eggs. (And admit it, those Love for Sail girls were kind of hot.)

In fact there's only one Larry game that I would consider an honest to goodness awesome adventure, and that's 1993's LSL6: Shape Up or Slip Out! from, as always, Sierra On-Line (R.I.P.). Partly it was the crisp and colorful SVGA graphics that made Larry's world and it's inhabitants come alive with character and visual humor. Partly it was the swanky music and quality voice over work, which coupled with the punny writing elicited some honest to goodness laughs. Mostly it was everything good about LSL games rolled up into one defining offering that surprisingly stands the test of time.

The story, while standard LSL stuff (try and get with any hot girl that will talk to you, watch the hijinks ensue!) was actually entertaining as each girl came rife with interesting and intricate puzzles, sticky situations and even satisfying endings (without the happy ending). The setting was also the best yet, with an expansive resort spa to explore and interact with that was bursting with personality. Plus it's full of the usual LSL gimmicks you've come to know and love. Protip: Try using the toilet in Larry's bathroom! Now try it again! *snicker*

All in all LSL6 was an improvement over every other game in the series from both a gameplay and a humor standpoint. By simply being the best LSL game it deserves recognition for fans of the genre, and it's quality is right up there with the top Sierra adventures.

If your only real exposure to the leading lover in all of gaming is the unfortunate abortion known as Magna Cum Laude, well, you aren't really missing out on all that much. But this game was awesome for what it's worth. I highly reccomend it for anyone with an MS-DOS based computer, a hint of sophistication and a burning desire to use the "hand" icon with some boobies or the "zipper" icon with that decorative plant. So naughty.

Go on.. offer her the towel..

I love me some achievement point gets, but one thing Microsoft's addictive e-peen system has made painfully obvious is that I rarely finish games. Rather I don't really "complete" games, at least the way developers intend to. I've never seen the end credits or final boss for Oblivion, Saint's Row, or Viva Pinata despite playing the heck out of all three. I've beaten DOA4, Dead Rising and Gears of War but fall far short of earning 1000 points for all three. And Live Arcade? I'm doubly pitiful with my gamerscore there, save for Uno and UMK3. Hell I've earned a whopping two achievements for Geometry Wars, possibly my most played XBLA game.

Then there's all the non-360 titles that have fallen by the wayside too soon like Yoshi's Island 2, Final Fantasy XII, Bully, We Love Katamari, Contact, Devil May Cry 3, Fire Emblem, Advance Wars DS, Suikoden III.. Sure I'll finish my fair share even to this day, but not nearly at the clip I purchase new ones. My eyes are bigger than my stomach, and I'm always left with too much on my plate. Not to mention a relatively modest gamerscore.

I need more closure. It's unfulfilling whenever the game beats you, either through fault of the developers making a crappy product or your own for just giving up in the middle of it. The box just sits there on the shelf, mocking you. Well no more. Seeing as the horizon is relatively dry for must haves, now will be the time to buckle down and finish some damn games. Maybe even break the 5k mark with my gamerscore. Yeah!

Unfortunatley now is also the time to explore Outlands and start moving my Gnome Mage towards 70 in WoW. I have a sinking feeling my two goals are diametrically opposed by nature. C'est la vie.
 

I wasn't too keen on the way my entry on this subject devoured this page, so I whittled it down to the short and sweet.

Podcasts are fun! Podcasts about video games are even better. Some are Great! Some are bad :(. Some could even be considered mediocre. Here's a few suggestions for your listening enjoyment. 1up Yours - From the 1up network. Great crew, conversation, and format. The best overall gaming podcast out there right now. CAGCast - From CheapAssGamer. CheapyD is the man and co-host Wombat provides a nice counterpoint. Lots of interesting tidbits about Japan and occasional gaming deal/retail info. I listen every week. The HotSpot - From Gamespot. It's the guys we know and love! Always a solid show, except for some of the phone callers but even that segment has improved. Retronauts - Also from the 1up network, old school gaming chat with interesting topics. The show on the history of game music is a must listen, I was hooked after that one.

Player One and Major Nelson also put out weekly podcasts that are worth listening to, I try to do so if I can. And if Gaming Steve or Penny Arcade ever get their act together and start posting more shows, I'll be all over those as well. I suggest staying away from the likes of Orange Lounge Radio, GamerCast Network and anything from G4. Either the hosts are grating or they just aren't cut out for radio. That's the story on gaming podcasts! Much neater this go round as well.

First off, I really love the Phoenix Wright series. As an old school adventure fan I hoped the DS would breathe new life into the genre, and Phoenix Wright is proof that it's happening. Being deep in the middle of Justice For All I'm feeling quite pleased and engrossed at the moment, even if it is for the most part more of the same game. That's all I wanted anyway.

However it seems strange to me that because the story and characters are so well done, the obvious flaws and problems of the series are drowned out by overwhelming hype from PW fans (I'm guilty of this as well). I just wanted to point out what I feel are the three main problems with Phoenix Wright that don't get nearly as much discussion as how wonderful the experience is.

- 70-80% of the gameplay is tapping the screen to advance dialogue. Maybe even more when it comes down to it.

- Everything is completely linear, from the order witness information is revealed to the way courtroom battles unfold. Even if your critical reasoning is sound, you need to keep guessing until hitting the proper trigger the story calls for. The game holds you by the hand pretty firmly as you advance through the story arc, and there's rarely more than one goal to accomplish at a given time.

- Capcom has put the barest minimum effort in porting these games for DS. If a title like Scurge: Hive can be criticized for it's blatant lack of enthusiasm for what the DS can offer, Phoenix Wright should as well.

These things don't ruin the game for me but at it's essence, Phoenix Wright is basically a mildly interactive detective manga. It's funny, well written, addicting and visually charming, and yes they are GBA ports, but I find playing the game is far less enjoyable than experiencing the plot.

I'll champion the importance of story/character forever, but when that's all there is, it should be pointed out as well. The original Monkey Island had loads more depth for example, from the puzzles to the environments to the conversation trees. Even early text titles like Zork or Hitchhiker's Guide that were nothing but reading showed more creativity in approaching interactive storytelling than Phoenix Wright does.

The answer may or may not be that Phoenix Wright should play more like a traditional adventure game, perhaps I just selfishly want that to suit my tastes. I suppose I'm asking, do we deserve more than the limited gameplay options a title like Phoenix Wright offers, even if it remains fun to play/read?

I'm not so sure myself. Of course I'll be picking up PW3 day one if it ever gets released, but I can't in good conscience continue recommending the series without warning. The mechanics that move this highly entertaining tale along pale in comparison to most everything the point and click genre has previously offered, and it's all the more frustrating when the platform as well as the setting provides the potential for so much more.

I like the music. Shamelessly pulled from my other, more productive blogging excursion. Here's my favorite records from 2006, no real order:


Jay Dee
Donuts

Who knew that Dilla had planned on leaving us one of the best and most personal beat records possibly ever as his parting gift to the world. Straight from the gut, neck snapping soul one second flipped into painful anger then back again. 31 tracks flow into one another, pulsing with Hip Hop virtuosity while defining one man's musical state of mind admirably and fully. Should be enjoyed start to finish due to it's schizophrenic nature, and purchasing a copy will send a little help towards paying off his medical bills. RIP.


Grizzly Bear
Yellow House

As it climbed up the charts on Oink and reviews started trickling in that this was something not to be missed, I obliged and gave Yellow House a spin. Having fallen for the hype of countless other indie outfits before I kept my skeptical goggles on, but Grizzly Bear's second album really is a deeply rewarding set that I found myself returning to time after time. Haunting and adventurous, the record warms you up and fills the room with stirring sounds from every angle. A huge step forward for the band, a trip well worth taking late at night when the snow is falling.


TV On The Radio
Return to Cookie Mountain

After the unexpected punch in the face of the Young Liars EP and the decent but disappointing full length that followed, I wasn't sure exactly what form of TV On The Radio we'd be hearing on Cookie Mountain. Thankfully it's everything one could have hoped they'd produce with a bigger budget, more time and greater expectations. It's menacing and beautiful rock music that works so well it comes out sounding pretty original, unless you count the Peter Gabriel in Tunde Adebimpe's voice. Wolf Like Me in particular is the best thing they've ever done and one of the coolest songs of the year no doubt.


AFX
Chosen Lords

Aphex Twin is an endlessly interesting, if not entertaining source for cutting edge jungle, ambient and acid house music. So the fact that Chosen Lords sounds like it could have been made 15 years ago and contains more outright melody and hooks to compliment his dense sense of rhythm than usual was a little surprising. It's almost an accessible record, though you'll find no shortcuts taken here or dumbing down of his signature sound. Chosen Lords isn't really a new album, its a compilation James put together from his 41-track Analord series released in multiple volumes last year. Transforming a daunting yet brilliant body of work into one cohesive and easily digestible collection, what a novel idea!


Yo La Tengo
I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass

There's a little something for everyone in here. YLT at this point are elder statesmen of good music who have every right to coast on their laurels of expertly honed dreampop, in fact it seemed like that was going to be the case after 2003's Summer Sun. But good news for us, they've returned triumphant in top form - throwing together all the tricks they've amassed over the years and more into this tour de force of a pop record.


Ghostface Killah
Fishscale

Ghostface Killah has always been a rapper with plenty to say, but he outdoes himself on Fishscale. He sounds hungrier now in his 30's than he did on 36 Chambers, spitting mindf**k rhymes and storytelling with the skills of a master wordsmith at the top of his craft. The best producers in the business brought their A game to the project, painting creative and timeless backdrops that fit perfectly against Ghost's signature delivery. It's a record that succeeds at being funny, grimy, soulful, fresh and relentless as hell all at once. A revelation, even for someone as talented and celebrated as Ghostface.

Honorable mentions:
Hot Chip - The Warning
Bonobo - Days to Come
Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope
The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics
The Roots - Game Theory
Ali Farka Toure - Savane
Mr. Lif - Mo Mega
Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
Herbert - Scale
Sleepwalker - The Voyage
Hard-Fi - Stars of CCTV
Justin Timberlake - Futuresex/Lovesounds
Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am..
Joanna Newsom - Ys
We Are Scientists - With Love And Squalor
Aceyalone - Magnificent City
Marc Mac presents Visioneers - Dirty Old Hip Hop
Lupe Fiasco - Food and Liquor
BT - This Binary Universe
Thom Yorke - The Eraser

I remember when this site was videogames.com and each precious screenshot had that black and yellow "V" watermark on it. Since my entire time here Greg Kasavin has always been, and will probably remain, my favorite and most trusted game reviewer. The man loves his adventure games, he's always fair and articulate, plus he has a fantastic dry sense of humor that I didn't really notice until video reviews started becoming the norm.

I don't have a lot to say about Greg leaving, but the guy is going to be missed something awful on this site. Not that the rest of the crew are incapable of carrying on - I'm sure on the surface we'll hardly notice the change. All the same respect must be paid to one of the best in the business. I'm quite curious as to where he'll be working from now on, I hope that he makes great games with them and furthers his already tremendous pedigree in this industry. Even if his first attempt is a big steaming turd I'll probably still buy it, just to say I brought my favorite game reviewer's first stab from "the other side."

But I bet it rocks face and he get's a fluffy wig and turns all Cliffy B on us. That would be super sweet. Best of luck Greg.

“I believe we made the most beautiful thing in the world. Nobody would criticize a renowned architect’s blueprint that the position of a gate is wrong. It’s the same as that.” - Ken Kutaragi on PLAYSTATION 3 I don't really consider myself a fanboy of any company making video game consoles. It hasn't been like that since I was a youngun riding hard for Sega Master System for no other reason than it was the only console I owned, even though I loved Nintendo games and played them every chance I got. It's understandable why people gravitate towards choosing sides, it's a little like politics - a console war becomes more meaningful if you know where you stand, and you've a stake in who's winning. Once you invest your money into a gaming machine that will last you a few years you want to defend that purchase, even if it wasn't your hard earned money spent. And if that console treats you right of course you'll be ready to come back for more by the time the next generation rolls along. Plus the corporations themselves fan the flames by getting into their own adult pissing contests at every possible opportunity. None of it really matters, everyone knows that PC gaming wins over consoles any day ^.^ However during the past year and even a little before that, I've grown to really dislike Sony, so I guess by default that makes me a Sony "hater." At first I just felt like rooting for the underdog, even though I've fully enjoyed both my PlayStation and PS2. (That probably started after seeing the Dreamcast fail, but that's a whole nother blog entry right there). Now it's evolved to the point where I don't like what they're bringing to gaming and I've no real interest in owning a PLAYSTATION 3. I'd even go so far as to say that any fan of gaming has to at least be a little disappointed in some of Sony's recent steps, and are probably downright angry with what they've slowly become. It started with the PSP. The arrogance, that is. The system itself is gorgeous, and the handheld market could certainly support another offering especially considering the direction Nintendo was taking with the DS. But it was the way Sony carried themselves - like they were gods gift to gaming, dismissing me and countless other gamers as children because we settled for a "toy" like the Game Boy Advance. The UMD format was a classic Sony move - hey we're making this convergence device, let's find a way to sell all our movies to consumers again with it! What it came down to in the end was most people were just not that interested in paying $250 to play Lumines, and Nintendo built upon a sizeable lead in hardware sales (despite a lack of decent software for the first 12 months). Now that the PSP is finally coming into it's own I'll probably pick one up after the inevitable price drop/redesign, but their whole attitude went beyond marketing tactics and really rubbed me the wrong way. Now's a good point to mention something else - Ken Kutaragi seems like a real ass. I don't know the man personally, for all I know he's a loving family man who treats people kindly, but as far as his public persona is concerned he's an arrogant, out of touch dreamer that lies to the fans of his product because he likes the way it sounds. The stuff he said was so ridiculous people couldn't take him seriously anymore so they "promoted" him to a corner office. Disliking the face of the PlayStation brand went a long way towards disliking the PlayStation brand itself. Good riddance, Ken. They couldn't wait to scoff at the Revolution. Motion sensing controller? Crazy! There's some great quotes dismissing the direction Nintendo was taking at the time, while at the same time they were licking their wounds at public reaction to their own innovations to the interface (the ill-fated boomerang). And the 360? Not even on the radar technically. It's an Xbox 1.5, the next generation doesn't really start until PS3 comes out (in Spring 2006). It doesn't even have a Blu-Ray player. You know, Blu-Ray? The new disc format Sony's pushing? You'll know it eventually, because you're gonna own one if you want to play Final Fantasy XIII and MGS4. Then E3 happened, and things really started to go downhill for Sony. The new controller is now... the same thing you've been using since Crash Bandicoot. Without the rumble. But the ace up their sleeve, the big step forward, it senses motion! Ugh. Oh yeah, $600 dollars. It'll replace your PC, don't worry you just have to work hard and really earn it if you want to play some FFXIII and MGS4. If my heart was set on owning a PS3 then sure, I could save up some extra cash and pick one up. But what if you just kind of want one? Exaggerating delivery expectations, no Europe in '06, shortages, embarrassing advertising, loss of exclusives, underwhelming launch lineup, unfinished interface. We've seen it all before from Sega, Nintendo and Microsoft so I'm not going to hold it against Sony, though it was hardly surprising how they carried themselves throughout each bit of bad news that filtered out. All this stuff will probably be forgotten in a year or two anyway, and definitely by the time FFXIII and MGS4 finally come out stateside. It's a very interesting time for the industry right now as there's no sure thing, and the entire landscape could change drastically as these new consoles mature. Obviously I don't own a PS3 right now, and don't plan on a purchase in the foreseeable future. I'm sure it's plenty fun to play and of course, there's going to be some great games made for it just like every other system. Especially from Japan. We all know it comes down to the games in the end, whoever ends up with the most killer apps will sell the most consoles. Or is it the brand that really matters most? I suppose we'll find out soon enough. So I think negatively of Sony as a gaming company right now and I'm not ashamed to admit it for the sake of parity. I laid out my reasons for why I feel this way. It's an opinion that's subject to change of course, I won't hold any grudges if Tim Schafer's next opus is PS3 exclusive or we get an unexpected $200 price drop for the masses. In fact I'd welcome it - if each console (and handheld) sees continued success this generation it would mean that video games are growing both in popularity and importance as an entertainment medium. Until then, sorry Sony - you've done good in the past but I suppose I M just NOT RED E.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess


Wii Sports

Dead Rising


Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion


Gears of War


Viva Pinata


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas


NBA 2k7