Or: Justin versus Google
On this episode of Nerds Without Pants it’s all about family, for reasons. Turns out there are some really interesting examples of family dynamics in video games, so this is a pretty good episode I think. Tell the people you love that you love them.
We suffer for you!
Welcome to a new episode of the Dumpster Fire, er, I mean, Nerds Without Pants! Yes, we had some serious issues getting this episode to you, but it should be somewhat entertaining. We’ve got the best of the games that never were, epic road trips, questionable MMO addictions, and an eclectic mix of games for Chrono Crossing. Let’s jump in!
The best thing regarding the year 2000 since Chris Jericho's WWE debut.
Welcome to one of the best damn episodes of Nerds Without Pants ever! Yeah, it’s a long one, but that’s only because we packed it with so much goodness. Let’s dig in!
Numinous Games presents us with a gut-wrenching experience that elevates the interactive medium.
"That Dragon, Cancer," is a game about hope -- its presence, and its absence. While forged in the anticipation of triumph, the end result is a meditation on failure and loss that is pretty hard to take, and without a doubt breaks new ground for the interactive medium. Created by Brian Green and his company, Numinous Games ("numinous" means "having a strong religious or spiritual quality"), this "game" (we have no other word for it that's adequate) is both gut-wrenching and an incredibly simple exploration of a young boy's four year battle with cancer. But while it takes on loss in a new way, it is also a commentary on games in general that is both surprising and profound. It is not without flaws, but the all-encompassing heart of it more than compensates for its failures.
You can listen for free, but if you want to throw 99 cents our way we'll take it...
Well hello, there! Unfortunately it’s a two man band again this time, as Patrick was out for work reasons. Angelo and Julian hold down the fort by talking for FAR TOO LONG about mobile games, free to play philosophy, and Christmas shopping.
Effortless beauty, meaningless confusion.
Exhilarating yet tedious, beautiful in a construction paper sort of way, and most of all both ingenious and boring, Secrets of Raetikon is a perfect example of the general state of indie games – inspired, but poorly crafted. I went into this work with no expectations, and no clue what it was, and for the most part, I was impressed and thrilled with what I played. But it’s a far from perfect game, with a pretty crappy ending, and play that can be both really fun and totally infuriating.
Remember, information is the weapon!
It’s hard to believe that it’s been six years since Hitman: Blood Money hit the scene. It was released in that heady time around the launch of the “seventh generation” of consoles, when it was still common to see games come out for the Xbox and PlayStation 2 alongside the Xbox 360. As such, Blood Money wasn’t technically a seventh generation game; it was designed with the PCs and consoles of 2005 and upscaled to run on the 360. That was my introduction to the series, and even though the game came across as dated by the time I got to it in 2009 I was impressed with the sheer amount of options for completing objectives in every level.
Two Rockstars have Become One.
Rockstar Games recently announced their decision to merge two of their successful divisions in video game entertainment. The Canadian government supported this decision, so Rockstar will open a new office in Oakville, Ontario that is custom-built. All members of the Vancouver facility will be given the opportunity to join forces with Rockstar Toronto.
