Or: This Episode is Terrible
We’re still getting things off the ground for 2021 here at Nerds Without Pants, so this is an all Consumption Junction episode of the show. Mike Fallek joins us for a show that goes off the rails almost immediately and never recovers. So if that sounds like your bag, here we go!
Skyrim what?
I don’t know about you, but I always have a tough time getting through E3 without squealing with glee at the thought of so much gaming goodness coming in the next year. The bigger the E3, the bigger the squeal, and this year I’ve almost gone hoarse. With so many amazing games on the horizon for both current and next gen, it’s tough to focus on favorites. However, everything shown about The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt tickles me in a way that few games do.
Finally, we can watch television on our televisions.
In this edition of Push Start to Continue the boys don’t spend any time at all talking about the newly announced Xbox One and Microsoft’s “One Device to Rule Them All!” market strategy…wait, that’s actually the opposite of what happens here.
What is this I don’t even...
If you’re even tangentially involved in gaming, you likely heard at least something about Microsoft’s new system yesterday. Previously referred to as the Xbox 720, Nextbox, and Xbox Infinity by gamers, has now materialized as the Xbox One. Confused? I know I was, considering this is more like the Xbox 3 and we kind of already have an Xbox 1. However, that’s simply something we’ll have to get used to. What might be a little harder to swallow are the details about the system and the role it wants to play in your living room.
Lighting effects in a Mario game are still kind of weird to see.
Being the fourth entry in the series, prepending “New” to the title seems disingenuous. Despite tossing in a new power-up in the form of a flying squirrel suit, New Super Mario Bros. U is more of the same tried-and-true gameplay the series is known for. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a bad thing, but it’s hard not to feel some fatigue with the now familiar art style, level layout, and presentation. Despite this fatigue, there’s little question that New Super Mario Bros. U is the strongest title in the subseries and a fond callback to both Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World.
Climbing the ramp of difficulty is fun until that ramp becomes a wall.
There’s a delicate balance in game design between challenge and fun. Trials Evolution nails this fragile give-and-take so well right from the beginning that it is a huge disappointment when it all tumbles muffler over helmet into a frustrating set of boring races. Be not deterred, though, because the ride up to that turning point along with gratifying online racing and cool user-created content make Trials Evolution a fantastic game.
Titled "Arcade NEXT", the lineup includes Fable Heroes, Trials Evolution and Minecraft.
Microsoft is following up House Party 2012 and warming up to this year's Summer of Arcade with a new promotion called Arcade NEXT. The promotion will start on April 18, 2012 and will include some "important" Xbox Live Arcade titles. These games will be the first Arcade titles to be eligible for the new Achievement rules.
Unleash the power!
The internet has been abuzz for quite some time now with rumors and speculation concerning the next generation of consoles. Most rumblings are completely unfounded – the results of a wishful fan's desire that their future console of choice fulfill some bizarre requirements. Yet as we creep into 2012 these rumblings have only gotten louder, ultimately resulting in the first concrete piece of news concerning the next generation and Microsoft’s eventual successor to the 360.
Even Next Level Games can't keep Captain America from being lame.
I hate to say it, but I've always disliked Captain America. He's a lame superhero who's in possession of no super powers whatsoever. Sure, he's a peak human specimen thanks to the Super-Soldier serum, but that still makes him pretty dull in comparison to most other superheroes. It also makes him pretty on par with most video game characters that share many of the same abilities. The Prince from Prince of Persia comes to mind – both are acrobatic, strong, and can defeat hordes of enemies without breaking a sweat. The difference between the two? The Prince starred in a great game – Captain America, a mediocre one.
The follow-up to the cult classic won't be releasing any time soon.
After its absence once again this year, Michel Ancel has commented on the future of Beyond Good & Evil 2. According to Ancel, the game is no longer being targeted for this console generation, but rather the next. No other information is known about the game at this time, but fans of will need to wait patiently as the game isn't scheduled for release any time soon.
