excuses, excuses

It's the time of year that I usually gather the Gamedae contributors and urge them to add to my end-of-the-year "Best and Worst" post. Last year we praised our favorite games and ousted some shortfalls. We are all very busy this year; however, it is for a just and noble cause. I have to hang up the controller (not really but I should have controller hooks on the wall that would be great) and take the proverbial "plunge". That's right, yours truly is getting married this New Years Day.

spike video game awards 2011

 

PLATFORM: Cable TV
STATION: Spike

It is easy to bash the awkwardness of an award show. Frankly, I believe they are all somewhat awkward from the Oscars down to the Kids Choice Awards. The VGA 2011 is not immune to this same awkwardness. In addition, they have an unfair disadvantage of not having an easy form to art to display on live TV. This year marks the return of Spike's on-stage "augmented reality" that debuted last year. Was there ever a time of "good" award shows? When were they in their prime anyway; was it Howard Stern's Fart-Man from '92? Nevertheless the online complaints are as annual as the VGAs themselves.

A new host for 2011, Zachary Levi (TV's Chuck) does a very smooth and authentic commentary. Original music by Deadmau5 (from the upcoming game Sound Shapes for PS Vita). Zachary starts off his presentation flying over the audience and landing on the stage using his portal gun (of course). His monologue leads off with some interesting facts that might surprise you if you haven't been paying attention. This year is the first time the VGA was streamed live around the world and 42% of gamers today are women. Hit the jump for a quick recap and links to the world premiere trailers.

lara croft: tomb raider legend

PLATFORM: PSP

RELEASE DATE: 06/2006
PUBLISHER: Eidos
ESRB RATING: T for Teen
Progress: Halfway

Very few travel companions are quite as pretty as the legendary Lara Croft. I've been glued to my PSP the past few weeks during my morning and afternoon commutes. I've seem to have developed a good working relationship with Miss Croft, solving puzzles and discovering new uses for motorcycles. She was nice enough to join me in person this morning for a chat, let's see how it went:

playstation home report

Did the shit just get awesome? A massive overhaul to Playstation Home leaves past visitors wondering if the recent teaser video of PS Home is too good to be true. Could PS Home become all it could be, with free games, things to do and, most importantly, the return of poker? The teaser promises a new main spawning point (replacing Central Plaza), new spaces and dozens of free-to-play games. We dive into PS Home for a look for ourselves.

blizzcon 2011 by zoidberger

PLATFORM: Blizzcon 2011

RELEASE DATE: Oct. 21-22, 2011

LOCATION: Anaheim, CA

MY STATUS: Friday/Saturday

The sight of unkempt hair, the smell of questionable hygiene practices these are just a few of the sights and sou....errr smells of this years Blizzcon. Unlike most other conventions where a variety of fans gather (comic, video game, television, and movie) at Blizzcon only one type of fan attends, a Blizzard fan. Once a year as October draws to a close the fanboys of Blizzard Entertainment gather in Anaheim.

I have always been a fan of Blizzard from my first serious online addiction (Diablo 2, Starcraft, and Warcraft 3) to my current play of World of Warcraft and eventual crack addiction known as Diablo 3. Blizzard holds themselves to what I feel is the highest standard of game making on the market. They often use the phrase "when it's ready" when speaking in terms of a release date for their games, not because they aren't sympathetic to the needs of their fans but because they refuse to release anything other than what they feel is the best game they can make.

The weekend is all fan service for the games they have helped build over the 20+ years of game development. This year was filled with a new WoW expansion (The Mists of Pandaria), a trailer for the Starcraft 2 expansion (Heart of the Swarm), as well as more Diablo 3 news and a surprise look at the Starcraft DotA mod (Defense of the Ancients) all of which where playable at this years Blizzcon.

The games aren't the only thing at the convention though; they have a costume contest to award the devoted fans that decide to cosplay for the event. They hold Q&A panels for all of their franchises, tournaments are held for the elite players to test their skills, and a dance contest for those who want to make absolute fools of themselves.

Under the fold are pictures from inside the convention as well as a few pictures from INSIDE Blizzard HQ in Irvine (Thanks to my friend Chris for the hookup) and some after party pictures as well. I was actually able to speak to and take pictures with some of Blizzards game designers (I love you Chris Metzen).

continuity 2: the continuation

PLATFORM: iPHONE

RELEASE DATE: 07/2011
DEVELOPER: Ragtime Games

APPLE APP STORE RATING: 4+

RETAIL: .99¢
Progress: lvl 5-5

With my recent acquisition of an iPhone comes a growing interest for mobile game apps. The sheer number of games available is quite daunting. I was pleasantly surprised to find a familiar game available (temporary) for free: Continuity 2 for the iPhone is just what I was hoping for. This psychics based puzzler is casual enough to pick up and play for short intervals, yet difficult enough to challenge your brain for much longer.

resident evil: director's cut

PLATFORM: PSN

RELEASE DATE: 11/1997
DEVELOPER: Capcom
ESRB RATING: M for Mature
Progress: Finished

Interesting or irritating? That depends on your sense of nostalgia for the Resident Evil (RE) series. I (and for the sake of this review) am leaning towards interesting. Resident Evil in its original incarnation was more of a puzzle game than the survival horror/shooter franchise it has become. Once called "The Greatest Game Series of All Time" Resident Evil games have a special place in my game collection but how does the original game play now? Can I play it on my PSP now as a PSOne classic?

You bet I can and did.

new york comic con 2011

PLATFORM: NY Comic Con 2011

RELEASE DATE: Oct. 13-16, 2010
LOCATION: New York City
MY STATUS: Thursday/Saturday

You are not alone. There are 105,000 people just like you and unless your name is Felicia Day you're pushing through the crowd to get a good look around. Not that anyone minds all that much, every fan boy and girl within driving distance is here to gawk, learn and buy just about everything comic (and video game) related. Come for the big reveals or the niche collectables.

I'm emphasizing the crowd here. The large swarms of people are unkempt, dressed funny and in the way but that's Comic Con and that's how it goes. Luckily, those fans that engage in cosplay provide as much eye candy as at the featured displays. If I were to complain about something, I do believe I spied a lot of return cosplay costumes. Is there a term for this reuse of a costume? Respun... replay... whatev.

Under the fold, please enjoy some pics from most of the video game displays. Shout outs go to Rockstar Games with their cool GTA III The Aniversary stickers and to Transformers Universe for the make your own transformer picture booth. Oh and fuck you Felicia, a guy can't even get into the Dragon Age panel anymore. (JK your great).

family fun arcade

PLATFORM: Family Fun Arcade

DATE: Earlier this year
LOCATION: Granada Hills, CA
 

Located in a quaint shopping center next to a grocery store is a little bit of old school heaven. There are not that many arcades left, especially one that has been open for 37 years. Contrary to it's name this isn't really a "family" place. Family Fun Arcade may be a little run down, dark and a bit intimidating but it's set up perfectly for fighting games. In fact, most of the arcade machines are Street Fighter IV and SF Thirdstrike machines. It has Xbox Live stations with a LAN set up for 2 dollars per half hour. Marvel Vs Capcom 3 is set up on another Xbox machine with an over-sized projector screen, cozy chairs and dual fighting sticks. A DDR machine still cranks in the way back. The machines take quarters rather than those darn tokens. It is open really late and is a practice space for upcoming and veteran professional players. If you find yourself in the valley this is arcade of choice for serious gamers. Hit the jump for a peek inside.

resistance 2

PLATFORM: PS3


RELEASE DATE: 11/2008
DEVELOPER: Insomniac Games
PUBLISHER: Sony
ESRB RATING: M for Mature
Progress: Finished

The Chimera are back! Or, have they been here all along? Insomniac Games fuels the cannons of war once again with the sequel to our Gamedae Fav Resistance: Fall of Man. Four years has passed since we blew up a key Chimera tower and the story picks up from where the after-the-credits cut scene left off. Our hero, Nathan Hale, alien-hater and super-soldier, is captured by some black ops soldiers. Nathan awakes to find his wounds treated and he has been given an inhibitor injection to fend off the Chimeran virus. Hale is quickly drafted into the ranks and sent back into battle. It's time to join the front lines once again.

SPOILERS AHEAD (If you haven't played Resistance 1)

dead rising 2 by verdeberg

PLATFORM: PS3
RELEASE DATE: 09/2010

DEVELOPER: Blue Castle Games

PUBLISHER: Capcom

ESRB RATING: M for Mature

With a tagline like "72 hours to kill... Thousands of zombies... What would Chuck do?", features like building combo weapons from "almost anything and everything" and online co-op, whats not to love... A LOT.

resistance: fall of man

PLATFORM: PS3
RELEASE DATE: 11/2006
DEVELOPER: Insomniac Games
PUBLISHER: Sony
ESRB RATING: M for Mature
Progress: Finished

I don't really want to over-use the term "Gamedae Favorite" but this is a recent addition to the alumni. It has been a long while since a first-person shooter (FPS) has held my attention as sharply as Resistance: Fall of Man has. I've passed up purchasing Resistance until now because it wasn't a co-op game but also because I didn't own a PS3 when it was first released in 2006. With all the hype surrounding the newly released Resistance 3, I got excited and picked up the Resistance (parts 1 & 2) PS Dual Pack. (Side note: Big fan of the dual pack idea--keep'em coming Sony). Seven days later I have trudged through the war-torn European landscape of Britain, defeated the ravenous Chimera, and damn, if it wasn't an awesome game.

netflix instant queue top picks

The video game industry is famous for it's summer slump. Not unlike the TV industry taking the summer off to retool and launch new programs in September, with video games it's all about coming out in time for the holidays. I seem to be having a small summer slump of my own. I'm not sure if it's the longer work hours, the upcoming wedding, the earthquake or maybe even the hurricane, but I haven't been playing games as much. Perfect time for another Netflix top picks post.

REMINDER: 

These picks are little gems found on the Netflix streaming service that I either missed in theaters or just really never heard of. Not necessarily Oscar worthy or five star but I enjoyed them.

angry birds

PLATFORM: iPad (& every other platform)
RELEASE DATE: 12/2009
DEVELOPER: Rovio
PUBLISHER: Chillingo
ESRB RATING: E for Everyone

Angry Birds isn't a video game.

There is this very popular phenomenon happening all around us. Unsuspecting people are toying with the laws of physics in our gaming world. Through the guise of little, simply rendered "birds" and a sling shot, they are honing their trajectory skills. Sure, right now, these average joe's are only knocking over blocks and destroying sadly painted green "pigs" but what are they being prepared for? Surely these people, who wouldn't be caught dead playing a "vidya game", aren't indeed playing one themselves? No, it couldn't be, there must be something much more sinister at work.

infamous

PLATFORM: PS3

RELEASE DATE: 5/2009

DEVELOPER: Sucker Punch

PUBLISHER: Sony

ESRB: RATING: T

Progress: Struggling

As I slowly make progress in this game, I wonder what has made it so popular. Although it is a spectacular looking open-world/sandbox style game, the characters and story line leave me wanting more. Your main character is Cole, who can either be this city's greatest hero or biggest villain, based on the player's choices in the game. The local gangs have turned into mercenaries and are controlling the city. Gifted with the ability to control electricity, Cole becomes a super-powered force trying to retake the city after a terrible accident has left its inhabitants in a state of distress. Sounds like a good set up right?

retro game ads: star wars

 

After a recent re-watch of the holy trinity, I'm posting a collection of early Star Wars video game ads. Personally I was hooked on Star Wars: The Arcade Game. Though, I never had the home version. Enjoy:

critter crunch

PLATFORM: PSN

RELEASE DATE: 10/2009

PUBLISHER: Capybara Games

ESRB RATING: E for Everyone

Trophies: 33%

Want to play a fun puzzle game? Give Critter Crunch a try. This lighthearted game will be an easy transition for any Tetris, Bejeweled, Bust-a-Move or Dr. Mario player. Instantly charming, fun and challenging, this is a colorful downloadable you'll play again and again.

1001 video games

Its been a year since I tried a giveaway on the blog. The blog has seen growth in its views and popularity even the design of the blog has changed. Time to up the ante with a better giveaway. Someone is going to win. Why not give it a shot? Read on to see what I have.

E3 2011: favorite link archive

Traditionally run as a side bar for the blog during June, this is the list of links posted from E3 2011. Certainly not every game shown during the Expo but the ones that got our attention. Archived here for easy access, enjoy.

ps3 media server

If your like me, and since your reading this you are, you have all kinds of media stored on your computer that the PS3 will not play. I know the current PS3 tagline is "It only plays everything" and usually it will. However, I'm noticing a lot of new formats, particularly with HD video, that just won't play. Files such as .mkv, certain DivX files and Xvid just won't play and were never intended to play on the PS3. Gamedae has recently installed and is very happy with a streaming media server program simply called PS3 Media Server

spider-man shattered dimensions

PLATFORM: PS3

RELEASE DATE: 9/2010

DEVELOPER: Beenox

PUBLISHER: Activision

ESRB RATING: T for Teen

Progress: Finished

I am a huge comic book fan, have been for as long as I can remember; so it stands to reason that I would be attracted to superhero video games. This genre has a pretty ugly track record. Most superhero games are created to supplement a major motion picture and, as every gamer should know, that does not make for a good game. With the advent of the latest generation of systems superhero games have greatly improved with a few standout performances. Spider-man Shattered Dimensions, the latest in the Spider-man franchise of games, takes the often formulaic game play and adds some new twists and turns.

E3 2011: what we know now

E3 is such a huge event. It's hard, if not impossible, to get a look at everything. In a way I think that is a good thing because it allows everyone to see things they are interested in and come away with a unique point of view. For example, RGB fans this year will be excited to see the latest on Mass Effect 3 and Dungeon Siege 3 while the hopeful Nintendo 3DS fan will be excited there are some major titles in the foreseeable future. After processing all the content we could handle, Zoidberger and I are going to recap E3 2011: What we know now. Read on.

E3 2011: more eyes on the inside

Do to the popularity of our last post, I present the second batch of pictures from our amazing secret agent on the floor at E3 2011. Looks like someone got hands on with the PS Vita and Wii U.

E3 2011: our eyes on the inside

We may not have all gotten to E3, in fact most people don't. I'm excited to introduce our new secret agent. The secret agent will remain anonymous for now, but your welcome to see the hoard of photos from the floor at E3. Hit the Jump!

E3 2011: nintendo keynote recap by zoidberger

Entering this E3 the consensus in the industry was that it was Nintendo show to lose. They were the only one of the “Big 3” to debut a new system and they had all the buzz going into this E3. The next generation console war is about to begin and Nintendo is about to fire the first shot. I came away from the Nintendo Keynotes with more questions than answers. Was this an actual system or the most expensive game peripheral since the Steel Battalion controller? Why would Nintendo announce a new console but not show the actual console? Is this the new console or is the controller? Is this just a new controller for the existing Wii?

E3 2011: sony computer entertainment keynote

The Sony Keynote was held live at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena and around the world via G4 and the Playstation blog. Pre-keynote questions were being pondered even as the curtain was raised. Sony is still recovering from the biggest cyber attack in history that crippled the Playstation Network for more than 2 weeks, how will they address this? More importantly how will the crowd react? Upon entrance Sony handed out 3D glasses to the entire room as they eagerly awaited the keynote to begin.

How you feel about the Sony event will depend mainly on how you feel about handhelds in general. Gamedae is pro handheld so we eagerly awaited this keynote and any new info on the NGP, Next Generation Portable. Hit the jump for the play by play:

E3 2011: microsoft xbox 360 keynote

Thank god this years XBox 360 conference is not bathed in the horrid green glow they used last year. The XBox conference took place at the Galen Center in LA. Per usual, they kick off the week of events at E3 this week "The future starts here" as their saying goes.

Unfortunately XBox fails to hit with their core audience. This was sort of expected. They pick up right where they left off last year with a focus on continuing to support Kinnect; furthering Kinnect's connection into all of the content available on the XBox. The new features they are showcasing are voice activation/control and a new design for Dashboard, the navigation system. The Dashboard will become the access point to rich media, not just games.

"...change the living room entertainment experience forever" —Don Mattrick @ Microsoft

Will a new Dashboard and voice activation integrated into their games be enough to please the core audience or are they further driving them away with a focus on family friendly and children's programing? Are we witnessing the birth of the voice activated TV?

Hit the jump for a rundown of the cast and games from the show.

E3 2011 home viewers guide

Not to be dissuaded by the very polite letter of rejection from the E3 committee, Gamedae is hoping to bring you some coverage of E3 right here on the blog. Check back often between June 6-9th to see what we've discovered. We will be couch covering all the press, live blogs and video we can find. Want to watch along? Here is a guide to where and when. It will be updated as new URLs become available.

www.twitter.com/gamedae

Want more Gamedae than our usual once a week posting? Follow us on Twitter to know the latest on what we are thinking, watching and the games we are playing. Shoot us your gamer tag and we can get some co-op on. Always down to race, shoot or school you in Hustle Kings.

www.twitter.com/gamedae

dragon age: origins

PLATFORM: PS3

RELEASE DATE: 11/2009

DEVELOPER: BioWare

PUBLISHER: EA

ESRB RATING: M

Progress: On my second playthrough

I have been growing my Dragon Age: Origins (DA:O) beard again this past weekend. This game is so long you have time to grow a few weekend-warrior-type beards with this fantasy based role playing game (RPG) released by EA. A blight is steering down on the the world of Ferelden. The Humans, Dwarves, Mages and Elven people are all threatened by hordes of Darkspawn. As one of the last remaining Grey Wardens you must unite the people in time to face the blight and the dreaded archdemon behind it.

netflix instant queue top picks

Finding movies on the Netflix Instant Queue hasn't gotten any easier, in fact after they redesigned the app, it is actually more difficult. I won't claim to know the reasons for this update but I do know that it is across all devices including the iOS devices. Another rather disturbing change is you can no longer request movies on disk via the app; that service is now exclusively on the web site. Is this the first step Netflix is taking to end the disks-by-mail business that they started with? My quest to bring you the movie gems I've discovered doesn't end! See my latest suggestions below the fold.

portal 2 by zoidberger

PLATFORM: PS3

RELEASE DATE: 04/2011

DEVELOPER: Valve Corporation

PUBLISHER: Valve Corporation

ESRB RATING: E10+

Progress: 100% Single Player, 65% Co-Op

I’ll be damned if a lack of baked goods from the first installment was going to stop me from playing the much anticipated sequel to one of the most beloved puzzle games of all time. I was a huge fan of the first-person physics-based puzzle game and had lofty expectations for the sequel. Portal 2 did what most sequels are unable to do with those expectations, surpass them.

teenage mutant ninja turtles:turtles in time re-shelled

PLATFORM: PSN
RELEASE DATE: 9/2009

PUBLISHER: Konami
ESRB RATING: E10+

Progress: Finished multiple times

Growing up, my family always had family friends. I think most do; parents that are friendly and they both have kids your same age - and you become friends because you are around each other a lot. My family and friends would go to Utah a lot on ski trips. Sometimes we would stay in the canyons but one year I specifically remember staying in Salt Lake City. I remember this vividly, mostly because there was a mall there with a huge arcade (remember those?). Now my memory may be a little off because I was a lot younger and shorter, and frankly the world looked different then. Click Read More to continue.

retro game ads: heroes in a half shell

Hit the jump for more blasts from the past.

1989 - TMNT handheld

playstation plus

 

Playstation Plus is a subscription service available to all PSN users with an annual fee. You can pay for a yearly subscription or a three month subscription. This subscription opens up exclusive content like demos, game trails, betas and themes. Sony's free online access is a big selling point for the PS3. This is a major development for a company that is heading toward full digital distribution and paying for an otherwise free service was quite a hot topic online amongst the undecided. Players want to know the burning question: Is it worth it?

last weeks links volume 4

The above image I found on Tumblr. I can't figure those Tumblr sites out so I have no idea who made it. I go to one then find the same image on 12 others... what the heck? Nevertheless, It seemed a perfect fit for one of these Last Weeks Links posts. 2011 is chock full of gaming news, trailers and other goodies. Lets get to the links...

rift: planes of tolara by zoidberger

PLATFORM: PC

RELEASE DATE: 03/2011

DEVELOPER: Trion Worlds

ESRB RATING: T (for Teen)

Progress: Lvl 50 Bahmi Cleric-Warden

Unpolished features, massive bugs and server crashes are all things we have come to expect when a new MMORPG hits the market. In a genre dominated by what is actually available and working at launch, Rift stands out as being 100% playable on day one. The game play in Rift is not revolutionary, in fact you can make the point that is has nothing new to offer. What developer Trion Worlds did was take already existing facets from multiple MMOs and improves on them; Rift proves that a game new to the genre doesn’t need to reinvent it to be great.

retro gaming ads: double dragon

 

We all have an interesting past but none so much as the twin brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee! More old school flavor after the jump.

Double Dragon NES - 1989/1990

burnout legends psp

PLATFORM: PSP
RELEASE DATE: 9/2005

DEVELOPER: Criterion
PUBLISHER: EA
ESRB RATING: E10+

Progress: 17%

The PSP is quite a gaming machine, to say I'm excited about the new NGP is an understatement. Part of that excitement is because all the old games for the PSP 3000 should drop drastically in price to make way for their new iterations. This means there will be a lot of great games available at a fraction of the price as Sony tries to eliminate the UMD (Universal Media Disc) once and for all. One such game that I got at a drastic price drop ($10!) that really surprised me is Burn Out Legends.

Every portable gamer should add this game to their library. Racing games and portable gaming go hand in hand. All the fun and speed you expect from it's major console counterpart but in the palm of your hands. You can still get those edge-of-your-seat gaming moments during the short spurts while you're in transit. This game does not disappoint. There is just something natural about having your hands at 10 and 2.

words with friends by goose egg

PLATFORM: iPhone
RELEASE DATE: 2009
DEVELOPER: Newtoy, Inc
ESRB RATING: 4+

Progress: NA 

As a life long Scrabble aficionado, I was immediately excited about playing Words with Friends (Words) on my brand new iPhone 4. You can download a free version that is riddled with advertisements or spend $2.99 to get the Ad Free version. I am not a fan of paying for apps and I have no problem bypassing the advertisement that displays following each turn.

netflix instant queue top picks

 

Sifting through the Netflix Instant Queue can be quite challenging. Sure there are a few obviously good movies but once you've gone through all the 5 star movies where do you turn? The 5 star rating system seems to give most movies 2-3 stars (watch out for 1 stars). Admittedly Netflix doesn't have a great movie recommending system. And Hollywood is trying to hinder any chances of a decent streaming library to choose from. That's where this post (and maybe more like it) will come in. Showcasing little gems found on the Netflix streaming service that I either missed in theaters or just really never heard of. You have my guarantee these are good:

state of the blog 2011

CELEBRATING 52 POSTS AND THE FIRST YEAR OF GAMEDAE

Well, we made to the first anniversary of the Gamedae Blog. There were three very simple goals set out in the beginning that I shared with my close friends. To share my knowledge of both new and old games, regular practice to become a better writer and finally to get invited to the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).

Here we are a year after getting started and still posting away. Gamedae has reviews on both new and old games on a fairly regular basis (although not quite weekly). My writing has at least become more interesting but will always require improvement. And, sadly, I must report that all avenues to E3 appear to be currently blocked but the quest does not end.

Thanks to the readers and especially to the commenters for your support. To get an idea of some of the other milestones from the past year hit the jump.

hustle kings: midnight millions by mg

Hustle Kings is one of those games that I can just turn on at any time for a quick gambling fix. That being said, Anotherdae and I have been in the midst of a late night pool rivalry for well over a year now. Our best-of-five matches have a tendency to get pretty heated. There have been many late nights that have turned into early mornings trying to make our money back from each other.

Put your quarters on the table.

Highlight reel after the jump:

batman arkham asylum

PLATFORM: PS3
RELEASE DATE: 8/2009

PUBLISHER: Eidos Interactive

DEVELOPER: Rocksteady Studios
ESRB RATING: T (for Teen)

Progress: 70%

I'm mostly what comic fans call a Marvel Zombie; meaning I'm strictly a Marvel fan but I am also no stranger to Batman. Eidos Interactive and Rocksteady have out done themselves with this latest game by presenting this amazing looking and grown up version of the Dark Knight. This is nothing like the cartoons or previous NGC Batman games that have been very popular; this is a dark, violent and edgy Batman story that is aimed at adults and long time fans.

spyro (ps one classic)

PLATFORM: PSP
RELEASE DATE: 10/2011 PS Plus (Originally 10/1997)
DEVELOPER: Insomniac
ESRB RATING: E

Progress: 70%

Commuting can be rough. The monotony of the same trip to work everyday can lead to depression and at its worse needless rage. Looking around any subway car I can see almost everyone's eyes glued to their damned iPhones playing "games". Some of us know the truth, while their are a few exceptions, real games are played on game systems. Lately, I've be chugging through one such game on my PSP. Making progress in 30 minute intervals during my commute. It is safe to say the little dragon named Spyro is helping with my sanity.

last weeks links volume 3

It's my busy time of year at the ol' day job. Which is only barely offset by playing my heart out in Little Big Planet 2 on the PS3 and Spyro (PS1) during my commute on the PSP. I want to be farther along in both games before I write a review. In lieu of this week's review I have another volume of great linkage for you.

little big planet 2: guinness world records event

PLATFORM: Sony Style Store

RELEASE DATE: 01/2011
LOCATION: New York City
MY STATUS: Early

In a sad case of my reporting losing out to lack of patience, I give you a Gamedae On Location report of the setting up of Little Big Planet 2's launch event at the Sony Style store in NYC. Imagine if you will, you have a three day weekend, it is 20° outside with dirty snow on the ground. The Playstation Blog is reporting a live streaming event of Media Molecule guys breaking Guinness World Records. Do you stay in bed all day or get up there and snap some pics? I get up there in the cold (albeit far too early) and snap some pics for you the few, the loyal, the Gamedae readers! Pics after the jump.

marvel super hero squad (psp)

PLATFORM: PSP
RELEASE DATE: 10/2009
DEVELOPER: Blue Tongue

PUBLISHER: THQ
ESRB RATING: E10+

Progress: 100%

Welcome to the junior version of Marvel Ulitmate Alliance (MUA): Marvel Super Hero Squad (MSHS). I fell in love with these inexpensive, smurf size plastic toys when they first hit the shelves and collected a few of my beloved X-Men. Soon after an animated TV show depicting these bite-sized versions of the heroes hit networks, a video game was launched soon after. Aimed at younger viewers, these family friendly heroes are ready to put up their dukes in the name of the Avengers (err... I mean squad).