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Is Metacritic becoming a problem for the industry? Leviathyn.com's Stephen Daly looks at how things like user scores on sites like this could hurt gaming and developers.
Mike D is a big fan of both video games and music. We all know games feature some amazing soundtracks, but often the credit goes to great original scores or awesome orchestrated pieces. What about amazing licensed music used perfectly in games?
How do gamers find enough time to play games like Skyrim, GTA IV, and Mass Effect 3? Are they better off sticking to shorter games like Modern Warfare 3? Goozernation takes a look at gaming culture and asks how does the modern gamer balance life and video games?
"I’ve been pretty clear on the fact that I love Fallout in all its forms. From the classic turn-based RPG by Interplay to the first-person sequels by Bethesda. When I heard that there was a game called S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl that would let me wander around a radioactive wasteland using a mix of first person shooting, RPG and free roaming I was terribly excited because it sounded a lot like Fallout 3. I’m afraid that I wasn’t cool enough to have played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. when it came..."
"I began playing a game yesterday, a game lauded by many, so I decided that I should have a go at it as well: LA Noire. Now, truth be told, open world games have stopped captivating my interest these last few years (yes, I’m counting Skyrim as well). The problem is that this kind of game tends to sacrifice storytelling for freedom. After playing New Vegas a while back, I said to myself that I’d rather play a completely linear story that at least has more depth than 50 square miles that are as ..."
Even though its 2012 there are plenty of games to fill the early year void. The best part of this that so many of these games are less then $20. Games like GTA IV, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, Saints Row 2, Mass Effect 2, Fallout 3, and lots of others. There are plenty of other games that offer a lot of bang for your buck.
"It may surprise you to learn that I have been playing Skyrim. You know, that game that’s been mentioned once or twice recently. The thing is, I had a few theories about this game before I played it. I’ve made no secret either of the fact I feel generally let down by most developers in this modern age as the illusion of greater choice waters down the overall experience of a deep narrative, or that hype generally leads to disappointment. The frenzy around Skyrim had caused my scepticism to rise..."
"There’s something about certain games that naturally draw me in. This is considerably easier with any sort of RPG that involves decisions and progression that allow you to influence not only your character, but the actual game itself. I’ve spent so much time with these games because I’m able to make the character my own, affect the environment, and play the game almost exactly how I want to play it."
With fall releases in full swing the crew at Goozernation looks back to their ever growing backlog which includes games such as Red Dead Redemption, Fallout New Vegas, Goldeneye 007, Enslaved, Borderlands, Bulletstorm, LA Noire, and Metal Gear Solid 4. The bigger question here is how can a gamer find anytime to play this stuff and how did these games end up in the backlog?
"I bought Fallout: New Vegas the day it came out, but I was afraid to play it. Not afraid of the ghouls or giant scorpions; afraid that I’d lose all semblance of productivity. My backlog of un-played games is extensive and I didn’t want to tackle another RPG with a hundred hours of gameplay. Eventually I broke down and blasted through the main storyline, murdering my way through each mission in an effort to minimize the amount of time I’d spend roaming the Mojave Wasteland. Since that quick..."
"Before we begin there are two things worthy of note that happened last week. Steve Jobs passed away and Team Bondi have closed their doors for good. Steve Jobs leaves behind him the sort of legacy that most of us will only ever dream about and the rest of us will spend time complaining about. The fact of the matter is, whether you love or hate Apple, his work has had an undeniable influence on the modern world and, on topic, mobile gaming, a fact that seems undeniable when Angry Birds, availa..."
"Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are two of my favorite games to play on my Xbox 360 these days; they have fun gameplay, a rich backstory, tons of content and a fantastic atmosphere. Bethesda is planning on creating a new Fallout game that is called Fallout 4 for right now. Very little is known of the project or if it will even be completed as scheduled but that won’t stop me from listing what I want from a new installment in the series."
"Very few games keep me completely occupied for a long time. It probably takes me a week or two before I move on to something else. That is, until you bring up Fallout. I'll be honest; I never played the original Fallout games. My first time with Fallout was Fallout 3 on the Playstation 3, which introduced the franchise to many current-gen gamers. For it's time, Fallout 3 was one of the biggest and most detailed games ever released. It contained vast landscapes and a multitude of quests and we..."
Game locations are everything, they add depth, color, and tension to games, so I decided to go over a few of my favorite landscapes from the past years. Two rules apply, 1. Only one selection per series, and 2. they're from current gen systems. What are yours?
In case you haven't noticed, there are a ridiculous amount of games coming out this coming holiday season. So many that it will cause some to be overshadowed. Check out the full story to see if it might be best for the industry.
The ability to make moral choices seems to be in most RPGs these days including blockbusters like Dragon Age 2, Mass Effect 2, and Fallout: New Vegas. Here are three reasons why this feature has no place in video games.
Van Buren is the working code-name given to the aborted version of Fallout 3 developed by Black Isle Studios. While Fallout: New Vegas still moved the series forward, it had some elements from the fabled Van Buren. Even though not much Van Buren made it into New Vegas, some similarities can still be drawn
"When I played Fallout: New Vegas, I was hoping there wouldn't be crazy amounts of dialog repetition. But alas, I guess I was expecting too much. Nevertheless, strange dialog repetition is a very minor issue when compared to some of the game's more egregious and flagrant issues, which I'll address soon enough. Still, New Vegas is quite an entertaining game, which pleases me and disappoints me at the same time. Shouldn't broken games be looked down upon? I guess New Vegas is a sort of special e..."
"Many video games have inventories. Lets face it, any game that requires you to pick stuff up, carry stuff around, or use something typically has some form of inventory management. Whether its keeping tabs on how much ammo you have or making sure you still have room in your expansive (albeit invisible) rucksack that holds 150 fire arms, 12 outfits, 3 items of food or potions, and a fork, lute, cup, or cat (yeah Anders I’m looking at you) you have to remain aware of something you are lugging a..."
IGN's Michael Thomsen lists this year in terms of in game sex. Thomsen explains how sex in video games can be right and can be wrong in many ways. Thomsen also lists a few games which featured sex this year, this list consists of a few bloackbusters like Heavy Rain, Mass Effect 2, Red Dead Redepmtion, Fallout: New Vegas and some not so well known games like Dinner Date and Every Day the Same Dream.
With so many multiplatform and exclusive titles on the market, it can be a bit tough shopping for that PlayStation 3 owner you know. BrightHub narrows down the list and picks some of the best titles on the console so you won't have to stress out this holiday season.
"With video games more expensive than ever, you would think that gamers would squeeze every last second of play out of them before moving on to the next adventure. But that's not always the case. Earlier this year, Bioware released some fascinating statistics about Mass Effect 2, but the stand-out figure was the revelation that only 50 -percent of players actually finished Commander Shepherd's mission to stop the Collectors."
All Age Gaming's John Elliott brings us his 13th Developer profile. In this profile he looks at the Fallout: New Vegas developer, Obsidian Entertainment.
"I've already had a bit of a rant about Fallout: New Vegas in another of my blogs, which you can read right here, should your heart desire it. That blog was not centered exclusively around New Vegas though, and now, after playing through the majority of the game I have decided to list what for me took away the magic of New Vegas and left me disliking it more than liking it. Read on my fellow podunkers, and see if you too have experienced any of these post-apocalyptic annoying niggles:"
One thing you may have noticed in the Fallout: New Vegas game is that playable vehicles are still nowhere to be seen. Why is this the case? What would it mean for the game if they were ever implemented?
"Factions are a different thing in this game. Whereas in Fallout 3, you had the good guys and the bad guys, it’s a little hazy in New Vegas. They all seem to be technically neutral, but out for their own means. Of course, the neutrality ends when two factions meet each other and the bullets start flying. It just seems that while not good or evil, the factions seem to be pushing ideology instead of stereotypical bad guy/good guy stuff. You’ll really have to put some thought into the faction you..."
"See? Video games can be educational, so the next time your mom accuses them of rotting your brain, tell her that at least you won’t be the one wallowing in a ditch as radiation slowly separates the blistered skin from her body. That’ll make her be quiet."
So it looks like Dogmeat has been replaced by our robotic canine: Cyber-Hound Mk. III, LEO Support Model, Serial Number B955883, or as he is better referred to as Rex. Clocking in at 209 years old, he's developed a distaste for hats... and the people that wear them. Also note that Companions now have accompanying perks as well!
"Why would Zenimax and Bethesda buy the exclusive Fallout rights? Quite simply, ownership leverage. Acquiring the licensing rights allows Zenimax to set ludicrous conditions for Interplay and purposely led them to believe they would still be working on the MMO."
![Box shot of Fallout: New Vegas [North America]](http://i.neoseeker.com/boxshots/R2FtZXMvUEMvUm9sZS1QbGF5aW5nL1NjaS1GaQ==/fallout_new_vegas_frontcover_small_wjcYXmfhK1cwIs8.png)