GameOver now under construction

In case anyone hasn't been paying attention, the blog hasn't had a new post in months. This is mainly due to my increase in hours of my regular job and other holiday plans underway in the family home. I apologise for the long delay in getting things up to speed but I am planning on reinventing the entire site with a better web address and new features. Be looking for the new blog or perhaps even website sometime in January 2011 where I will have new content every Tuesday including a weekly comic, new game releases of the week, a section on my customer of the week, and more. I hope this quick comic will help keep you interested while I work on the updates. Thanks for sticking around as long as you have. Later, gamers in the new GameOver!

Sonic Adventure comes to XBLA and PSN

Even if the speedy blue hedgehog is long past his glory days and quickly headed to an early grave after mediocre releases, I still have faith in one of gaming's legendary icons. With Sonic the Hedgehog 4 on the horizon, it would seem Sega has opted to rekindle the flame fans once had for its company mascot by re-releasing Sonic's first true outing in the third dimension (Sonic 3D Blast doesn't count) on Xbox Arcade and the PlayStation Network. I have followed the blue blur for his entire career through the good and bad times and remain a faithful fanboy. Sonic Adventure's return prompted me to play through other not so successful 3D Sonic games like Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 and Sonic Unleashed. I can't say that the time was entirely enjoyable with the often convoluted story and broken camera controls that resulted in several broken controllers in the past. Somewhere along the line, Sonic Team forgot what made the hedgehog such a hit with gamers. Maybe Sonic 4 will bring back what so many of us have missed with recent Sonic titles and had a brief glimpse of in the day stages of Sonic Unleashed. Please enjoy my simple Sonic Adventure tribute sketch in honor of the last exceptional Sonic game from the early days of the Dreamcast. Sonic boom!

Disney's Guilty Party is a guilty pleasure

Disney is one of those companies you can't be too sure about in terms of gaming entertainment. Most of its material is obviously PG and rarely strikes any chord with the more radical gaming community. Fortunately, Disney's Guilty Party for the Wii is a nice mix of child-friendly cartoon fun and challenging gameplay. The members of the Dickens Detective Agency, who are all of Pixar quality design, are attempting to solve various cases while pursuing the criminal Valentine. The game offers the usual good natured humor of a Disney production while allowing older gamers to test their wits as they gather clues in order to find the culprit behind each mystery. Of course, you can't talk about Disney without making some sort of refference to the late Walt Disney's supposed issue with the Jewish community. Family Guy is probably one of the more notorious shows out there to have blatantly made fun of the cartoon tycoon's "hate" of Jews. It only felt natural to me to create my own parody in this comic which I apologise for rendering so late in the week. I'm gathering together my finances so I can invest in an electronic drawing pad so the entire process of creating these pieces will be easier and finished in even better quality. I'm still learning the Photoshop program's little tricks. I'll have the next strip up late next week likely to feature the PlayStation Wii remote...er, I mean Move motion controller. Later, gamers!

Blade Kitten- "At A Glance"

Atari and Krome Studios have released the first episode of Blade Kitten for download on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. The game follows the bounty hunter Kit Ballard, a cat girl tracking a target on a distant planet when she suddenly becomes entangled a bigger scheme. The game is basically a side-scrolling platformer. The anime characters are cell-shaded and animate fluidly. The voice cast is satisfactory as well, but this is all beyond the point of this glance. The game is actually a fun play with only a few minor issues. The controls are simple to learn but difficult to master. This is made more infuriating by the sensitivity of the joystick causing Kit to make less that perfect landings when jumping between small platforms or attempting a quick stop after sprinting. The combat is very mild with a few attack options apart from regular swings from Kit's floating blade. You can regenerate health by simply avoiding attacks which can make the game simple but more caution will likely be needed in later levels. The emphasis of Blade Kitten is more on exploration and collecting than anything else. Most of the demo level involved looking around the level map for money and chests to open. This was made both easy and fun by Kit's ability to climb up walls and move along ceilings, just like a cat does I suppose. I can't say too much against or in favor of this game until I can get through the first episode. Check out the demo for yourselves and see if Blade Kitten is up your alley. Later, gamers!

Devil May Cry fowl with fans

One of the trailers featured at the Tokyo Game Show was the teaser for Capcom's latest in the Devil May Cry series. The fifth installment, and dubded simply as "DMC" in the teaser, looks to follow a young Dante at the start of his fight against the demons of hell. How do I know this? Well, honestly I don't. It's a guess like any other person out there but I readily admit I'm only speculating. The character wears the same red jacket Dante is known for as well as calling himself by the same name as the son of Sparda but looks slightly off from the usual design. Hell, it could be some random new guy that has been brainwashed into thinking he is Dante as part of some experiment to recreate him or something (that actually sounds pretty sweet). Fans of the series are evidently up in arms over the new conception of their idol and will likely lead the developers to alter Dante back to a more suitable character model to stop the whining. I felt my heart sink reading some of the comments from gamers who seemed to give up on the franchise because of a two minute teaser of a game still underway. It was the same heartache I felt when Cole was changed back to his stupid bald and emotionless design from the original Infamous to appease the fan base for the unpopular design changes he'd undergone for part two. For the record, I thought his look was awesome and a suitable change given the new environment and challenge he was to face. These are the darker days of entertainment when fans can rule the world of gaming by dictating what goes in or out of a game. Just my thoughts. Later, gamers!

Classic Space Invaders returns with a modern zest

Square Enix of all people has decided to take an old piece of gaming history and bring it into the modern era with a major twist. Space Invaders Infinity Gene was recently added to the gaming networks for download at a nice $10 price tag. The game is to feature 143 stages as well as a challenge mode where levels change with each playthrough (supposedly). I sat down in the late evening hours to try my hand with the trial version. It started mildly enough in the same classic Space Invaders style with a little pixel ship against rows of block aliens. Then the screen flashed and text introduced me to the new imagination of the game that consumed a decade. I know my jaw was on the floor because I still have the scuff marks from the carpet. I could move the ship around the screen area for precise controls and even select the kind of laser I wanted like homing or waves. That was all well and good, but then the swarms came in force. The barrage of pixelated fire was at times difficult to contrast from the flowing tron-like techno environment but I didn't care. I was saying "Holy *hit," too much anyway. At one point, the camera moved behind the ship allowing me to fly in Star Fox 64 fashion before taking on a boss. A boss in freakin' Space Invaders! If you are looking for some nostalgic heaven, I'd suggest giving this game the benefit of the doubt. If not downloading it immediately, the trial should convince most people enough to add it their library as it did me. Later, gamers!

Lara Croft returns to raid our hearts...and pants

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light may have been released several weeks ago during the end of the Xbox Summer of Arcade, but the voluptuous raider is coming back with online co-op play for the Xbox, PlayStation and PC systems. Between the growing list of popular arcade classics on Xbox Arcade like Shadow Complex, Limbo and Castle Crashers (Now available on PSN by the way), it's great to see the online gaming market creating such a sales boost in both memberships and store points. The move will happen around the 28th of September allowing us all to finally experience this subtle but grand adventure game with distant friends. The only issue to arise here may be who gets to be the one with the boobs. Let's face it, Lara Croft was designed to be eye candy for men though she has quickly become an icon for women around the globe. Men admire the rack while ladies admire the strength. So why couldn't something like this be used as a gameplay mechanic or something, huh? Just a thought. Later, gamers!

Vanquish- "At A Glance"

Sega and Platinum Games is due to release its fast-paced sci-fi shooter Vanquish on both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 next month. The game is headed by Shinji Mikami who is better known for his work with the Resident Evil, Devil May Cry and Bayonetta series. A good thing because I cringed when I first saw Sega of America's brand on the game. The company has not had a great track record in recent years after nearly killing its mascot Sonic the Hedgehog and various Marvel movie based games. The demo is now available and thankfully rendered all my previous fears null and void. The story revolves around the lead character Sam, grumbly voice and all just like we now have to accept for all male heroes in games these days, as part of a US faction fighting Russia for control of the world's fast-depleting energy sources. Sam is outfitted with a high-tech battle suit that allows him to quickly dash between covers, along the battlefield, or slow down time for dead-eye targeting of enemy units. The demo starts off in the midst of a long metal corridor during the game's first act. Sam maneuvers quite smoothly though the control configuration takes time to get used to. Again like in Quantum Theory, firing is handled by one trigger while reloading is done with the other and the only configuration change you can make is whether you use the bumpers or trigger buttons to do this. I miss the old set-up of reloading with the square of X button, but that is just me. Dashing is controlled by the other trigger/bumper pending on your weapon setup so that also takes time to get acquainted with. Still it is pretty freakin' sweet to hit the dash button while standing still to make Sam take a smoke break in the heat of battle. The action starts fast and furious with swarms of Russian enemy units attacking you and your fellow squad members. If teammates fall in battle, you have the ability to revive them but they do little to help you win matches as far as I can see in the brief demo. The greatest thing about the battle suit Sam wears is the "AR mode." If you are low on health, time slows automatically to allow you the chance to get your ass to cover and away from danger. Once the bots are killed, you fight a boss, a crawler mech that transforms after the first round into a walker drone. The game is easy enough to figure out what to do next but at times the quick-time fight moments for big hits to enemies are frustrating. The boss battle has the chance to do one or more of these though I only experienced one thus far. The prompt was to twist the joystick in a clockwise or counter-clockwise motion though it makes no distinction which stick is which so you will likely miss the first two attempts to figure out the right answer. Despite these few flaws, Vanquish is looking like a great buy for gamers and a beautiful game to boot though I constantly get the vibe I'm playing something like P.N.03 but...good. Later, gamers!

Quantum Theory- "At A Glance"

The demo for Tecmo's new multiplatform release Quantum Theory is now up for download and here it is "At A Glance." The story isn't really all that clear even from the demo. Apparently, two factions are fighting due to a living tower becoming active by some diablos-somethin' force. A member of each faction, a burly dude and slender chic, enters the tower but must combine forces to make their way up to the top while fighting the demonic creatures. The game plays like a direct clone of Gears of War or any other cover-based shooter out there. The thing that sets QT apart is it's partner system. You can literally throw the girl at enemies for powerful strikes or sync awesome combos for maximum damage. The demo showcases a single long corridor of the tower where cover can grow and change due to the tower being alive so strategic movement is crucial. The session ends with a boss battle that is made harder than need be by the destructable cover and less-than-high health your burly soldier can muster. Thus far, it is hard to give the game proper kudos for the few things it has going for it but at the end of the day, QT is just Gears without the detail or quality experience. For whatever reason, you fire with one trigger and reload with the other. It just feels awkward with the rest of the control setup in which cover is easily entered and exited with a single button. The one thing I can't forgive, the unchangeable controls and annoying mechanics aside, is the voice of the main hero. Did Christian Bale's grumbly Batman set the standard for all male heroes to have the save deep and raspy voice with no emotion or tonal variance? Maybe it is just me. I'll be taking a look at SEGA of America's Vanquish later this week as well so look for the next post soon. Later, gamers!

Lair of the Shadow Broker

The newest Mass Effect 2 DLC was finally released yesterday and oh how it was worth the 800 points. Lair of the Shadow Broker is a heavy piece of action and fan service. It is likely one of the hardest missions to undertake as well. On the plus side, not only are you able to further your romantic relationship with Liara (if you were faithful and selected her at least), but you can cruise around Illium in a cab chase while dodging traffic. It is hard for me to get more in depth with anything on this package without fear of revealing too much for those who haven't tangled with it yet. Add-on content is a beautiful thing which allows players the chance to revisit their games with new material and an expanded story, but more importantly, it is a means to which developers can test out new concepts and ideas that may be featured in greater detail in later games. If you can help it at all, don't read the achievements for this DLC and just play the mission through. The extra gamer points are easy enough to secure and basically involve completing the mission and accessing terminals on the level map. It takes about two hours or so including the dialogue sequences so be prepared for a nice time back out in space with the Normandy gang. Later, gamers!

Xbox achievements and PlayStation trophies

It's hours into early Saturday morning, but it has finally happened. After almost a week, I've earned my second platinum trophy on my PS3 account and I feel sort of...well, dirty. The same scenario has likely happened to most of us: we find ourselves scrolling through the list of possible achievements for the games we own all the while thinking, "Yeah, I can do that one." I only recently became an "achievement/trophy whore," and haven't really looked back since. Extra achievements in games are a necessary evil. The challenges the electronic trophies present not only ad to the playability and longevity of each game, but they grant the personal satisfaction of beating impossible odds after several hours of trial and error. I made this strip to parody my growing addiction to both 360 achievements and PS3 trophies. Every time I get a new reward for head shots or treasure hunting, I get all giddy and almost want to call up friends to tell them about my new 30 points toward my gamer score. This is dedicated to all my friends who caught the fever long before I did and were kind enough to pass it on. This Labor Day, enjoy a labor of love with your favorite game. Come back to GameOver at the end of the week to see the next new strip featuring Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. Later, gamers!

Mass Effect 2 coming to PlayStation 3

It's probably the biggest and best news for PlayStation 3 owners that the previously exclusive Mass Effect trilogy is coming to the Sony console. Because BioWare is now owned by EA and looking to expand its market, the series is coming to the PS3 in January of 2011 though the first installment will likely not see a release on the system nor can it be said whether Mass Effect 3 will hold a joint release between the Xbox and PlayStation versions. The news is bittersweet for passionate Mass Effect fans, not because a popular selling title of the Xbox is going multiplatform, but the fact that the epitome of the what made the core experience of Mass Effect so great will be lost without the first game. It is hoped that the crucial decisions that made ME1 so powerful and epic will be granted to new players of the PS3 community rather than being forced into being the smeg head who killed the council and just about every other character of importance in the galaxy (rest in peace, sweet Wrex). I can believe that BioWare could take the same road as Shenmue 2, featuring a brief film version of ME1 but with interactive options to develop the story for the overall ME2 experience. It's nothing impressive but will appease fans as well as gamers who could have cared less what happened in part one to begin with. BioWare has released a teaser trailer for the launch of ME2 on PS3 on its site. Even though I love PlayStation and can look forward to the prospect of finally playing ME2 in its entirety on a single disc (rather than switching over at the start of loyalty missions and then back to disc one for the suicide mission), something just doesn't feel right without ME1 to start us off down our road to fight the Reapers. Later, gamers!

A Look at Scott Pilgrim

Until I heard about the film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, I'd never even known of the character or the comic books. Friends and I had to see the movie not only because of the gaming references but the fact that legendary Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright was behind the project. Having seen the film now and read some of the books, I naturally moved on to the online arcade game released around the film's debut. It is a classic style beat'em up of the River City Ransom variety but with special twists keeping it out of legal hot water. Rather than being a movie tie-in with the usual lack-luster effort, Scott Pilgrim the game is more faithful to the comic books both in looks and themes. Besides the comic roots, the game is really fun to play and for the $10 price tag, it is an essential for fans of the series or classic gaming buffs the world over. The biggest drawback to an otherwise perfect nostalgic experience is the lack of online co-operative play. Check out Scott Pilgrim for yourselves and look back to GameOver for more on the series a little later on. Later, gamers!

The PlayStation Move is like a better Wii remote

Whenever I speak to anyone about the PlayStation Move controller, they always skip the impressive technology behind the system and go straight for the throat: It's just a rip-off of the Wii remote. I can't argue against this logic because it's true even down to the advertisement photos practically taken with the same hand models, but the Move is still something I'm looking forward to for the ingenuity rather than the possible copyright infringement. I don't think I will use the controller for the games that I would otherwise enjoy with a standard controller but the sports simulators and the fighting game it will launch with are both greatly appealing endeavors for Sony. This whole situation started me thinking of how Xbox is now following with PlayStation marketing changes and techniques. The comic explains this little observation I had and hopefully not get any heavy Microsoft fans on edge. I understand that all the new innovations for the Xbox consoles were planned for in advance and the intent was not to copy Sony. I love Xbox but you know these facts are kind of true at least in some sense. Later, gamers!

GameOver Blog Update

Hello gaming community at large,
I am sorry for being unable to really get a handle on this blog while finishing my college education. On a positive note, I will soon have the tools at my disposal to keep GameOver and in turn, Andy & Brett, alive and well for the future. I only ask for a little more time and patience as I make it through this brief transition period but I do not doubt your wait will worthwhile. Thanks for the support. Later, gamers!

PlayStation Plus offers more gamer flair

As I logged back into me PlayStation Network account the other day, I was greeted with the ever popular system update download option. I clicked OK and sat back while the system ran its course only to find a new addition to the network main page when logging back in. PlayStation Plus is the new service provided by Sony that will allow gamers exclusive offers, full game trials, store discounts and other neat bennies for a paid subscription. The three month option is supposed to be just over $17 making it a little less than the standard Live gold membership for the same time. It isn't making the network connection any better though, so Live will still hail as king of the community gaming field for a while yet. Go ahead and check it out Sony fanboys and take advantage of the rental service so you never have to say "why in the hell did I buy that game anyway?" Later, gamers!

GameOver Random Thoughts

Hello gamers! I'm making an attempt at a new section to the blog called "Random Thoughts." I will share ideas from friends, developers, critics and myself regarding games. Any ideas submitted in comments will also be used for the section so please let your mind wander a little. *SPOILER WARNING* This week I purchased an Xbox 360 arcade system thanks to the price drop from the new slender version being released. A friend hooked me up with a decent hard drive so I can finally build my library of 360 exclusives while maintaining my PlayStation 3 core gaming system (yes, I am a Sony man). As I started my campaign on Mass Effect 2, I had a sort of revelation. Commander Shepard is the video game equivalent of Mark Hamill. Gamers were perplexed to see Shepard's altered face in the early launch trailers for BioWare's epic sci-fi sequel. Little did they realize that Shepard was reconstructed after dying in the game's opening scenes. Now think back to Mark Hamill who was involved in a car accident near the end of the filming of the first Star Wars that resulted in him having reconstructive surgery on his face. It was no wonder we all looked oddly at him in Empire Strikes Back muttering to ourselves, "you know, I don't know what it is but something is just off when I look at him."It's is likely the reason Luke Skywalker is attacked by a Wampa in the opening of the film to explain the change in his appearance. Just a random thought. Mass Effect fans be sure to watch this vid. Enjoy!
"Pain heals, chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever."
Shane Falco- The Replacements

Deadly Premonition Noir Comic

New Xbox 360 "Slim" hits the market

Xbox fans will be overjoyed to hear that Microsoft has unveiled a new "slim" version of their 360 gaming system. It will feature a newer design , 250 GB hard drive and built-in Wi-Fi connection. The slim will likely be available this week according to reports and not for a hefty price tag either. The system will retail at $299.99, the same cost as the new Elite package. Possibly best of all, in my opinion at least, is that the system is supposed to be quiet as a whisper. It is still unclear as to whether or not the price tags for both the Arcade and Elite systems will drop with the slim's release, and if that drop will in fact be permanent or not. Keep your eyes and ears open, gamers!

GameOver News Update

Hello gamers! I am sorry for no new posting in the past couple of days. I have been so backed up with finals and getting ready for graduation that I haven't had much time to focus on gaming. I'll do what I can to keep putting up new material each week and try to keep Andy & Brett alive and well. Thanks for your patience. See you again real soon!

Deadly Premonition Tribute Video Comic

Deadly Premonition was a low budget Japanese survival horror game. It was released in the U.S. for the Xbox 360 and received poor marks from critics for its low production vale and poor game mechanics. Other reviewers praised the game for its unique and engaging story, calling it the video game equivalent of the television series Twin Peaks. Please enjoy this short Frank Miller inspired noir comic I created for the game as a tribute. And now...Deadly Premonition:Act 1!

GameOver News Update

It's Memorial Day and I hope you all made sure to thank our men and women in arms. As this will be the last week of regular classes, I'm working on my multimedia project for the Pulse. I'll be creating a Frank Miller inspired noir comic for Deadly Premonition. This is to show my own talents beyond cartoon characters and as a big tribute to the guys at GiantBomb for pulling off a second amazing endurance run after Persona 4. It is basically done but I'll have the panels up on the blog by the end of the week. The Pulse site will have the video as well with "dynamic" sound effects and voice work...sort of. Later, gamers!

Prince of Persia film casting called "insulting"

Before I begin, go ahead and check out the little blurb connected to this blog theme. Now that you are back (I hope) we can start the discussion. Apparently hiring white actors for roles supposedly envisioned for people of color is being called "insulting" by critics. The foul move is made in the Prince of Persia video game based movie hitting theaters soon with Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead. The adaptation of The Last Airbender is also under attack though because this blog is focused on gaming, the Prince is our main concern. I am not seeing a complete fault with the casting choices made by the filmmakers in this regard though I honestly don't know the full extent they went through to find the best actors for the specified roles. In reality, most casting for such pieces as this involves finding actors who physically resemble the given character. Gyllenhaal does seem to embody the appearance of the Prince that gamers are familiar with and, quite frankly, never appeared to be truly Persian to begin with in later games. I'd also like to mention the fact that the voice actor for the role hasn't been Persian either, more or less British as with Sands of Time and then American in the newer Prince of Persia, aka Nolan North. Do we really need to find things to complain about? It's as if people are trying to hate turn what they can into hate crimes against other cultures. If there had been a Persian actor fit and able to play the role better than Gyllenhaal, then I would say that that individual is the best choice but again, I don't know all the facts of that decision. Hope you don't go cross like I have but all the same, make up your own minds about what to believe. Later, gamers!

The name's Wake...Alan Wake

It goes without saying that Alan Wake is only one more title out this month that will make our wallets a little thinner. Between Red Dead Redemption and Split/Second, I'll be broke before the end of the month (I'm also a little miffed that Alan Wake is a Xbox 360 exclusive). The game features some of the best lighting mechanics in any game to date. It also has product placement all over like I made note of in the "Your Ad Here" comic posted a little while back. Even though I mentioned all that stuff before, this visual aid is far better. Enjoy. Later, gamers!

Red Dead Tuesday

Hola, gamers! Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption is almost here and I can hardly contain myself. I'm salivating at the thought of what I can do in what is already being called the greatest western themed game of all time. It may be hard to argue that fact given the poor selection of cowboy titles we've seen over the years but what really stands out with Red Dead Redemption is the free-roam play option on its multiplayer: a gigantic world ready and ripe for the taking by the best cowboy or lowlife. But that is enough rambling from me. Expect to see more on Red Dead as I get into it myself and look for a comic featuring some goofy part of the title next week. Alan Wake is also on the horizon and I'll have its comic strip "A Drum in the Night" up by the end of Thursday. Now all I have to do is see whether or not I can create my ideal character for online Red Dead... Doc Brown! Later, gamers!
"Look! If your horse threw a shoe, bring him back and I'll reshoe him."
"I done shot that horse!"
"Well, that's your problem, TANNEN!"

War Machines

The battle between Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 wages on almost endlessly. The arguments always seem to turn towards petty issues like network lag or drops in frame rate, yada, yada. The Xbox does come in the black Elite package, but for the sake of this comic strip, I had to pull the black and white card. And which of the systems is the superior, you ask? Well you'll have to read my article analysis of the hardware each company boasts in their console software. The article will be posted on the Pulse later this week so be sure to check it out when you can. Later, gamers!

MEGAMANia

ScrewAttack has the premiere fan film for viewing pleasure on its site. Eddie Lebron's Mega Man feature film is over 90 minutes of fan boy goodness and obvious cheese. If you haven't already checked it out, I strongly urge followers of the Blue Bomber and casual gamers alike to give it a view. Plus, a big shout out to the Megas for offering up some great music accompaniment to the film! Later, gamers!

Who Done It?!

Lucky 24-year-old Alabama gamer Wade McGilberry is sitting pretty with one million bucks from the folks at 2K and its MLB 2K10 contest. Congrats to you, McGilberry who pitched the perfect game! You give the rest of us in the gaming community hope that we too will someday be able to say we created our fortune by playing a video game. I bet he's already converted that fat, over-sized check into a lawn chair and is dabbing at his forehead with a wad of fifties...lucky son of a bitch.

YOUR AD HERE

If this ever works, I'll never say anything bad about in-game advertising again. Anyone who remembers Crazy Taxi on the Sega Dreamcast knows that it alone is likely responsible for most product placement in gaming today. Like Craig of ScrewAttack said, at one point we wore nothing but Fila. More often it is about satire in game advertising like the blurbs and broadcasts of Grand Theft Auto IV. With Alan Wake coming soon for the 360 promoting Energizer batteries and other products, I did this strip as more of a satire than anything. Sad thing is now I'm just imagining if it actually gains some attention. If anyone out in the wide, webby world wants something of theirs to be advertised in one of Andy and Brett's strips, please contact us at daehne2@yahoo.com. Be sure to include a detailed plan about what you are marketing and any elements that are needed for your message. Let the experiment begin!

Plugged In the News

Looking at Al's Morning Meeting, I came by this little bit of news. Apparently the California state legislators were attempting to put a restriction on rental outlets regarding violent video games. They would require the agency to put an "18" label on the product to signify its rating though games are already required to present a clear ESRB rating on the packaging. Retailers that failed to comply would be fined up to $1,000. The law was turned down as the court found no merit to its claims based on the little data regarding violence connected to gaming. Check out the article yourself for more information at http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=2&aid=182183. As I work in retail selling mature content games and movies, I act as the gap between the minor and their mature gaming/cinema title. Most shops today are pushing controlled sales to minors regardless of what concerned parents and community members believe.We all need to accept responsibility for what happens to ourselves and those we care for. Pointing fingers is not getting anyone anywhere.

Baby Boomer

Well, I figured it was about time to start doing something that wasn't so game related for this week's comic strip. I got the concept while trying to sleep; one of those nights where your mind races at a mile a minute. The entire strip just popped in there, practically word for word. I've noticed that I go off and on with either Andy or Brett being either the butt of the joke or the serious one. This time it was Andy's turn to shine and present the truth about how babies are conceived. While I did say it wasn't video game related, I bet a few people will notice the number of gaming references I attempted to subtly stick in there. I'll personally shake the hand of anyone who can tell me the reference made in Brett's T-shirt on panel three. Good luck, and keep plugged in for next week. While video game news is limited for the time being, I'll be able to delve into more randomness for inspiration. Always open to suggestions, people!

Splinter Cell: Convicted or just dead?

Splinter Cell: Conviction is one of the best installments to the series yet. I love the new Fisher, willing to go above and beyond to find out what he wants without concerning himself with a body count. He wants the agency to know he's around. It's stealth meets dark stalker. Penny Arcade commented on the guards incessant dialogue so check that out after this for another good laugh. The henchmen really do just go on and on about the most obscene shit, I couldn't believe it. I can understand them being scared out of their minds because they are likely about to die but come on, people! Have some balls!

Special Announcement

Marvel vs Capcom 3 is now officially being developed for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3! We've only been asking for this game since 2 came out back in the days of Sega Dreamcast (remember those days? I do). According to GiantBomb, the game will use the same engine that powered other popular games like Resident Evil 5 and Lost Planet 2. It seems capable of handling the fast and chaotic nature Capcom's crossover series has been noted for. From the debut trailer also available for viewing at GiantBomb, the game looks like it will take the same visual approach as Street Fighter IV, maybe with more emphasis on heavy black shadows for a comic feel. Many popular cast members will return like Ryu , Morrigan, and Wolverine, but the trailer shows Hulk fighting against...Chris Redfield? This could be awesome. Keep eyes out for a full character roster when available. Maybe they will realize my dream match: Keanu Reeves against Nicolas Cage! Later, gamer!

wehadtogaminginc.

I know this is pretty much old news, but somehow I had to realize this vision. Blame my buddy if you want to point fingers. He gave this thing life. We were playing a round in Tiger Woods 10 and poking fun at Tiger's painful expressions on some of the pictures. Maybe I missed the point but I thought to myself why in the world would they use THOSE shots of Tiger? At that instant, my friend adds in, "It's like the shot after his wife found out." OOOOOOOH! I do love Tiger and all, but that kind of crap he pulled isn't sanctioned in any way. Stay on the green, buddy. It's safer there and your balls are always in good condition. Looking forward to PGA Tour 11!

Language Barrier

Looks like an increasing problem in the gaming world is not the violence in games themselves, but the language of the gamers. With online gaming on the rise and over 23 million members on Xbox Live alone, players are exchanging racist, homophobic and various profanities over gaming sessions. Even some gamer tags and screen names are plays on racial slurs. Founder of the website GayGamer.net Flynn DeMarco said that more policing is needed in the online community. He is working alongside gaming corporations to help eliminate the problem. Microsoft is asking people to be their own police force in these cases and report those gamers using the language. The charges on the gamer will be reviewed and punishments can include suspended voice capabilities or banishment from the online service. The company is even considering having its users register with their actual names though it would be in clear violation of privacy for the gamers and a potential safety risk. After all this, I'm left wondering where we went wrong as players. I rarely play online without other people I already know personally but am definitely aware there are those out there who are online merely to boast their skill and ego. Time will only tell the way this war will go. What side are you on?

Brotherly Love

In honor of Mega Man 10, I've come up with this little gag. While playing the tenth installment of the series, I started to wonder why Proto Man was now such a big part of the game. In 9 I had to fork over cash to play as him via DLC and he takes twice as much damage from attacks as Mega Man. Even with Mega Man's bum hip that won't let him slide like in the good ol' days, I actually prefer playing with the blue bomber. Apart from the shield, dash, and charge shot, Proto Man seems disguised as the game's hard mode. And now he's on the character select screen...Mega Man now has a character select screen? And Bass now as well? When the hell did he come back into this whole thing? Too many unanswered questions with too little bits to work them out. Help me, Capcom. You're my only hope.

Preview for Review

Just a little additional comic fun for the masses. This was one of the video slide shows I had made for the Pulse. You can watch it with full audio on the Pulse website but here it is in its simplest form. Yay for Final Fantasy!

Movin' On Up

As promised, here is the welcoming comic for the move to the Pulse. I have to say I think I got a bit over zealous with the burn tool but the effect is worth it. I'm still playing around with various options in the program and hope to show off more things like this in the next couple issues. Hope you enjoy and keep plugged in for next week when I delve into the violent world of Splinter Cell: Conviction.

Upgrading

Well, it looks to be official. GameOver's Andy & Brett will be moving to the Pulse online magazine. A welcoming comic strip is already in the works and should be posted in sync with the site's launch. I've already planned out strips for the next two weeks so be expecting more news on them shortly. In addition to the new site, the GameOver blog will be continued on the Pulse blog server though I will maintain this domain for the quarter as well with small news info for anyone who hasn't already heard about the transition. Sounds like a whole lot of new information to digest but stay with me. I know you'll like the improvements. Back with more news later!

Wow, Xbox Live Really Listens to Me

In an article featured on ign.com, Microsoft has announced that as of April 7 of this year, it will be dialing back its points into increments of 400 rather than the original set of 500. The hope is that it will make things a bit easier on users when purchasing online titles. The change was spurred by Xbox community responses. It warms my cockles to think that a company actually looks at the customer with the intent of serving their needs. Now if we can only get tech support to do the same thing. In case you want to know the problem I'm talking about, head on over to youtube.com and look up "Cobra Commander calls to get his Xbox 360 fixed!" Enjoy. "COBRAAAA!!!"

Awwwwsome

While scrolling through Giant Bomb's site, I came across a trailer for Rocket Knight for Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network. The retro-junkie in me lit up like Christmas morning at the mere mention of the release of a new rocket knight game. I'd played Konami's original Rocket Knight Adventures and its sequel, Sparkster, on the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo when I was a youngster and loved every minute of it. It was like seeing the best bits of my childhood gaming flooding back. What can be better than an opossum in a suit of armor strapped to a jet pack? The answer is very little. The game is set for release spring of this year but no other details are available for the moment. Check out GiantBomb.com and other sites for the trailer.

Why Your System Dies

Reading the headlines of Yahoo! News, I came across an article on the Plugged In section that listed the top things that kill gaming consoles. It mentions dust and problems with overheating common to all systems, the Xbox 360 in particular has a heat issue resulting in the nearly 40 percent failure rate otherwise know as the "red rings of death," but all common knowledge things among even casual gamers. The one thing I didn't see on the list was human negligence. Nearly all the problems that can send your console to the twinkling lights of mech heaven are things caused by users. We tend to play for long periods without getting in a break every hour or so and could care less that we can carve our name in the dust accumulated on the console itself. That same dust is likely from our own dead skin cells we shed over a three hour session with Modern Warfare. Be a friend and care for your system like it was one of the family because let's face it, with the amount of time we spend with our buddy systems, we owe them that much.

GameOver is Back

Central gamers,
I'm happy to announce the return of GameOver and the continuation into the epic Andy & Brett comic series. I am also pleased to let everyone know that work is being done to expand the blog on the Pulse website complete with article related to gaming news and every other fun bits 'n' bytes that goes with it. Check back with the blog for gaming briefs, previews and additional comic material. Hopefully I can introduce some new material like videos, Q&A's, faqs, help, and other randomness. Welcome back to GameOver!

Quarter Recap

Hey Central gamers,
I've had a blast sharing my passion for gaming with those who dared to read my work and helped inspire the birth of Game Over's Andy & Brett comic series. I managed to take looks at the insanity of Heavy Rain, Dante's Inferno and its visual battle, and some of Mass Effect 2's alien love affairs. I also had a little time with Batman: Arkham Asylum 2, Bayonetta, and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 along with other random bits of gaming news and trivia. I'll be back next quarter to keep up the strip with even more news and fun looks at current gaming releases. Please keep an eye out for the last comics to come out next week. I am hoping to get at least two more for the blog and one giant six-panel quasi-motion comic on the Pulse site. Thanks for support and suggestions for new ideas. Spring break!

That Really is Heavy

I finished Heavy Rain in two days, four sittings. That may sound extreme but my friend did it in one single session the day it came out because as he told me, "I could NOT put it down." I felt much the same way. I've never played any game where I was so completely invested in the characters and the outcome of the story. Heavy Rain offers a cinematic experience with a level of interactivity that few games can hold a candle to. There are minor hick-ups with controls, camera issues that are few and far between, and some dialogue isn't delivered with proper emotional emphasis but nothing that disrupts the gameplay to large degrees or dampens the overall experience. There are a few minor plot holes that don't seem to be resolved by the time the finale plays out but they may be disclosed in one of the hundreds of possible sequences that can progress the game based on the player's choices. You will be forced to make decisions you don't want to make: your life or your child's, a man dies or you lose everything, giving up the case or fighting the entire police department to defend the suspect. There are plenty of rewards in the forms of trophies and other payoffs that allow for replayability on a level rarely seen in modern games. With all that said, Heavy Rain receives a highly deserved 4.5 out of 5 stars and a place on my list of greatest games of all time. See you next week for God of War III, more on Dante's Inferno and Final Fantasy XIII.

That's Heavy

Heavy Rain is something of a mystery. It can't be defined as a specific genre and can seem dull to some but those who attempt it will be engaged in the cinematic scope of this thriller. I'm only two chapters in and I have already had to stop to recollect my thoughts on what has happened. I can't even count how many alternative methods I could have pursued while handling each scene. Maybe I should stop now before I gush too much about a game I just started...how fair would that be? So let's just say Heavy Rain is amazing and that's that...kidding. Some of the mundane tasks that happen early on like taking a shower and brushing your teeth are fillers but still fun and oddly fulfilling. It lead me to create this comic about the very tasks like drinking coffee and opening a letter. Anyway, I'll have more info on the game after it's done and a better review along with it. See you all next week!

Groundhog Day

This whole thing is thanks to the amazing and random rantings of one of my best friends. He has the ability to control the stream of thoughts that come into his head and convert them into a coherent dialogue that is absolutely hilarious. Most of the time he requires alcohol but this one came out while he was completely sober. Who knew? We somehow got on the topic of PETA and what was going on with Pike Place and Phil. A little far removed from the gaming world but something I think people can understand. I just feel that PETA has lost touch with what it stood for: a special organization that protected animals from cruel treatment and needless slaughter. Now they just seem to be the equivalent of kid who can't get his or her way and the best way to shut them up is to give in the idiotic whining...but that is just me ranting again. I'll be posting another comic today as well more towards the video game genre: Heavy Rain.

Addict Gamer

This is old news but I was asked to make this comic for another story on the Pulse website. I know people get way too into this sort of game, myself included. Modern Warfare 2 is still one of the leading games out on the market and only gaining popularity. Matches can get heated and people become the personal property of someone else. I wanted to make a comic with Andy and Brett that showed this element. I hope the joke comes across in the strip, Andy flipping on the lights and all. I know I had said last week that I was going to comment on the new Aliens vs Predator but this sort of took precedence over that for the moment. I'm hearing good buzz on the game for fans of the series but nothing good in the field of a quality experience on its own. I can expect to be further thrown off schedule with Heavy Rain being released on Tuesday. Thankfully my tax refund can cover the expense so I'll have enough to also pick up Final Fantasy XIII in March. OMG.

Out of Gas

I love Mass Effect 2 right down to the sparse little issues that are few and far between. The comic above reflects one of the minor issues I have with how the Illusive Man works. He can finance missions and acts as your boss and yet gas for the Normandy always comes out of Shepard's pocket. Even if it's only a simple 1,500 credits, I don't know why the guy can't fudge a little spare cash for his team to actually reach the areas he intends them to. Just one of those random things that caught my attention. Check back in next week when I look at the new Aliens vs Predator for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. "Game over, man!"

Plugged In the News

According to a report on Yahoo!'s Plugged In, heading the Yahoo! page, there is some sort of controversy over the advertisement for "God of War protege" Dante's Inferno released this past Tuesday. The commercial ran during Super Bowl XLIV featuring a rendered CG scene of what the game would entail. Apparently some people are becoming confused as to what the game looks like in-game versus the ad. Really? Are we really going to have a "controversy" over THIS? It's like saying I saw the Matrix and thought it was a documentary. The commercial even uses a disclaimer on the screen stating that images are not representative of the actual product. Isn't this true of all merchandise advertised on TV or anywhere else? It will do this or do that, they say. So can we please just find something legitimate to b&#@! about this year...like maybe why Uwe Boll is still allowed to make movies or why a girl with a rare condition can sleep for 14 days when I can't even get six hours.

Old Bat

Glad to be back bringing you the next installment of Andy and Brett. For the record, I don't hate ign.com but I don't find them to be the best source for gaming news, reviews, etc. That being said, I was excited to see that they had taken time to really look at the teaser trailer for Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham Asylum 2...and then they made that comment about believing it to take place in the future because they saw a zeppelin over Gotham and Joker appeared to be wrinkled. In my opinion this was a poor estimation considering the characters featured in the trailer retained their wardrobe from the previous game suggesting to me that it was no more than a matter of months since the original. Regardless, I am excited about the prospect of a new Batman game taking place in the city though I still have no clue how the development team will pull this one off. Hope you enjoy the Back to the Future reference. Stay tuned for Thursday's comic on the finer points of Mass Effect 2.
SPECIAL UPDATE: I have just read on ign.com that after speaking to the voice of the Dark Knight, Kevin Conroy, members of ign.com staff are still saying it takes place in the future...because Conroy said the new game will be dark much like the animated film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker was dark. Get it?! Beyond, as in, the future! That argument has NO FAULT whatsoever, right?

Video Game Retirement Center

Update

Hey everyone following out there. I am sorry to say I couldn't manage a comic for the week. Between class projects and the whole getting my car fixed after the accident, I'm sort of occupied with other matters. I'll do what I can to have TWO complete comics lined up for the next week, one for Tuesday and the other on Thursday. The subjects will be Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 as mentioned before and the other on Mass Effect 2. I just figured something out about that game and I know it has already been featured in the Andy and Brett series, but this is something I need to share. I'm sure fans will enjoy it. Thanks again and hope to show off some great new video game humor with you all. Later!

The Real Liberty City...Ellensburg

Check it out people. If you haven't already read the Observer or been a victim yourself, things are getting pretty rough in the quiet community of Ellensburg. Car prowls are up and today while walking to out of the Subway restaurant I watched another car back into mine, causing a small cave-in on the rear bumper. Son of a b@$#! Now I can understand why some people hate GTA so much for its lack of morals and over-the-top violence. Not that I'm going out there in the same fashion as GTA 4's Niko but I am super vexed. Just be safe out there everyone because we can't reset this little thing we call life.

Plugged In the News

On a small side note, I just read that James Cameron's Avatar has beat out his old titan of film making Titanic for the top spot as the highest grossing U.S. movie of all time. Then again people are still b@#$%!ing about how the inflation of ticket prices mean that the gross isn't anywhere near the original value during the time of Titanic, but who really gives a flip? Just something to think about. I know I do.

Alien Lovin'

Happy Mass Effect 2-uesday! A buddy of mine has a massive man-crush on Garrus so that's what really prompted this next entry in the Andy and Brett series. Some might call it an unhealthy obsession but I'm sure there have to be a few others out there with the same dark skeletons. The game itself is by far a vast improvement over the original, correcting all the minor mistakes that plagued the first entry of the trilogy. While some are griping that it has taken a turn more towards a shooter than a role-playing game, everyone should find that Mass Effect 2 delivers the same epic story and action BioWare has become known for. On a side note and a possible spoiler warning...I discovered you can actually have a romantic relationship with Garrus as female Shepard. Tune back in next week when I'll have something of a preview for Batman: Arkham Asylum 2.

Witchin' Good

Allow me to introduce Andy and Brett, two gamers who have opinions to share. They were inspired by the art and characters of Penny Arcade. This first comic is old news but still something I had to comment on. Bayonetta, the Devil May Cry protege, was amazing, fast, fun, and sexy. Problem is the praise is only directed at the Xbox 360 port. The PlayStation 3 version suffered from lag issues, screen tearing, and other mechanical difficulties. The high level of sexual content in the game (Bayonetta's suit is made of her hair for crying out loud) lead me to make this comic about the game while voicing my anger at the PS3 falling out. Check back next week for more comics. Mass Effect 2 is up next!

Plugged In the News

In an Associated Press article it was revealed that the Nintendo Wii would join the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 in streaming Netflix movies and television programs. The company has yet to set an official date but those owners of the Wii with broadband internet and a Netflix account will be able to stream movies via disc software provided by Netflix sometime in spring, similar to the Playstation 3. In other news, Mass Effect 2 preorders have beaten out God of War 3's by a couple thousand in sales. The sequel to Bioware's big 360 hit will be out in just another week and anxious fanboys are planning to make Tuesday dusk 'til dawn gaming marathon.