Really, if you want a watch a "good" movie based on a video game, look no further than the original Mortal Kombat. The first Tomb Raider's also not bad, heard the second's better, but that was from a year filled with over-rated sequels.
As for the RE movies, the first is okay, while the second, though it doesn't completely suck, is rather worthless.
Looks like the trailer for Resident Evil: Extinction, the third in the series of zombie flicks based on Capcom's video games, snuck out onto the internet without us really acknowledging it. Sorry about that, Resident Evil movie! I was busy not caring about the film series and focusing on my not paying attention to it. As someone who hasn't seen the previous two, am I missing out? I mean, I know there's lots of Milla Jovovich to be had, but I haven't heard good things. Yahoo!
Yes! Virtual On rocks on the Sega Saturn, and in overpriced arcades. Kudos to the guy for transporting something of that size. But then again, Virtual On is worth its weight in gold... or in this case: cabinets.
This fortnight's Roboto-Chan is a little special. Yeah, special, because it deals with something very dear to me (Virtual On) and throws in a whole lot of home-improvementy-type stuff that, because I struggle when confronted with zips and door locks, I find fascinating. (Don't read Roboto-Chan? It's about video games AND giant robots...come on) Cutting a long story short, writer Ollie owns a Virtual On arcade cabinet. Bastard.
Haha, I remember my first Game Boy. Nothing like marriage. But then again, not being married, I wouldn't know. But if I had the choice, I'd probably take the Game Boy, or really, a Game Girl if they had one.
Oh boy. I've been waiting months to get an excuse to post about Dinosaur Comics, and now's my chance (click for larger version). Not yet having engaged in the sacrament of marriage, I can't comment on this comic's accuracy, but man, if it IS like the first time you ever got a Game Boy, sign me up. So awesome. Go check out the rest of Ryan's site if you dig it, it's one of the best web comics out there.
And yes, parents are the major problem in today's society. They stray from the kids too much and when something goes wrong with their children they want to blame everyone else but themselves. In this case, video games.
As for what spiralx said, I honestly support video games as an addiction. I mean, let's face it, what's a better addiction: movies? sports? stamp collections? porn? muuuurrrder? People tend to focus on one thing and stick with it. Though, yes, there's a difference between a hobby and an addiction, whatever you choose to focus on is not the issue, as you would still have that problem if you were focusing on something else.
"Respected" newspaper columnist and self-professed parental guru John Rosemond fancies himself as an expert on how to rear kids. He also hates them 360s, and every other console/platform by extension. When a parent asked in his column about how to help their son, who was "falling behind at school, but who plays on an Xbox", he doesn't muck about: Take that nefarious device and toss it. Make the Xbox disappear, permanently.
Bungie is really funny as hell. No, really. An online auction offered up by the game studio for a cameo bid in Halo 3. Bidding started at US $1,000. The money raised was to help the homeless. The auction read: Voiceover will be recorded at Blindlight Studios in Hollywood, CA before May 15, 2007 or this package will have to redeemed for Halo 4. Which lead to general freak-outtage.
The real problem with the life-life images is that they're just always too clean. If developers want to get something that's visually appealing, they need to blur the images slightly. For instance, the backgrounds when traveling by horse in Shadow of the Colossus. They look simply beautiful even though they're a little fuzzy.
Looking at the picture above, it's just too sharp. Not to mention the arm is off. If she were real and really holding that gun, it would look incredibly awkward. Her arm needs to be straighter. Oddly, though, the best looking thing in that image is the gun.
The BBC tackles the photorealistic challenge facing video game developers dubbed "the uncanny valley", that uncomfortable feeling one gets from looking at a digital recreation of a human being that looks... almost human. While the team behind the tech demo for Heavy Rain, pictured above, may nail it sooner, Obsidian Entertainment producer David Kunkler says traversing the gap may take more time. They look strange - they're too close to real, but not quite real.
Basically, if Sony wants to salvage the PSP, they need to make it enticing for players. As people have already said, as of right now it's a homebrew machine. There are no games on it that are killer-aps. Believe me. I have every game for the PSP that has been critically praised (save for Metal Gears Portable Ops), and of them, the only really addicting one was Killzone Liberation. But that was a short experience, and clearly won't sell systems because of that. Then again, I actually haven't gotten around to playing Luminous (or its sequel) just yet.
So, clearly, where Sony's problem lies here is that it has no real reason to own the system. Perhaps if they arranged it so you could buy old PS1 games for the system through its website rather than the PS3 (hurry up with that already, Sony), things may look better. But if not, the system's life will quickly be flatlining.
Microsoft already got into the handheld market: the Zune! And we all know how that turned out....
By the way, you can't destroy Nintendo in the handheld market. It's the original iPod of its category in that they have a commanding market share. People can maybe grab a piece, but it won't be significant. They lack the vision of a good handheld vision, whereas Nintendo knows where it's at.
Here's piping hot and nasty video of me and Robert Summa waxing about the state of the current handheld market. See how nice I am to the PSP? Notice how bizarre my hair looks? I should wash it more than once a week. I do believe that Sony can squeeze a little more success out of the PSP, if they take a different approach to their handheld and make a clear distinction between it and their dominant console. Does anyone agree? Can PSP and PS3 connectivity have any useful impact?
Quick question: what's the deal with the Terminator picture? Is it suppose to relate to the machine/robot aspect of the phone call? Could have done a Cylon instead or something.
GameStop's call-stalking is wrong. Wrong like a heavy-breather on the other end of the phone. We've established this. But just in case you need to hear for yourself, or didn't believe the news, here's a recording of the offending call. Yes, offending. I don't care how pleasant she sounds. She's a machine. A robot. A robot with a cold heart, who knows who you are, and where you live, and will stop at nothing until she gets what she wants.
Race In Games: Give A Shit? Generally, it's not that big of a deal. Personally it matters to me, for one because I'm black for two because I'm a character designer and animator. For some titles, race may not be that big of an issue but one thing that the Japanese developers will do that pisses me off to no end is how black characters are sometimes depicted. Vanessa in particular is a sore spot for me.
continued »
As if you don't waste enough of your time in a gamer's haze, here's Kotaku: a gamer's guide that goes beyond the press release. Gossip, cheats, criticism, design, nostalgia, prediction. Don't get a life just yet.
thespyderboy
thespyderboy's comments
Comment
Kotaku, resident evilResident Evil: Extinction Trailer Creeps Up On Us
Really, if you want a watch a "good" movie based on a video game, look no further than the original Mortal Kombat. The first Tomb Raider's also not bad, heard the second's better, but that was from a year filled with over-rated sequels.
As for the RE movies, the first is okay, while the second, though it doesn't completely suck, is rather worthless.
Comment
Kotaku, virtual onHow To Move A Giant Robot
Yes! Virtual On rocks on the Sega Saturn, and in overpriced arcades. Kudos to the guy for transporting something of that size. But then again, Virtual On is worth its weight in gold... or in this case: cabinets.
Comment
Kotaku, comicsMarriage Is Like A Game Boy...
Haha, I remember my first Game Boy. Nothing like marriage. But then again, not being married, I wouldn't know. But if I had the choice, I'd probably take the Game Boy, or really, a Game Girl if they had one.
Comment
Kotaku, zombiesDusty Columnist Wants To Toss 360
Lol, I'm with BlackDove on this:
Skylance, you rock!
And yes, parents are the major problem in today's society. They stray from the kids too much and when something goes wrong with their children they want to blame everyone else but themselves. In this case, video games.
As for what spiralx said, I honestly support video games as an addiction. I mean, let's face it, what's a better addiction: movies? sports? stamp collections? porn? muuuurrrder? People tend to focus on one thing and stick with it. Though, yes, there's a difference between a hobby and an addiction, whatever you choose to focus on is not the issue, as you would still have that problem if you were focusing on something else.
Comment
Kotaku, halo 3Bungie On Halo 4: J/K!
Yeah, I have to also chime in that that's an amazing pic.
Comment
Kotaku, bbcUncanny Valley Crossed in 2009?
The real problem with the life-life images is that they're just always too clean. If developers want to get something that's visually appealing, they need to blur the images slightly. For instance, the backgrounds when traveling by horse in Shadow of the Colossus. They look simply beautiful even though they're a little fuzzy.
Looking at the picture above, it's just too sharp. Not to mention the arm is off. If she were real and really holding that gun, it would look incredibly awkward. Her arm needs to be straighter. Oddly, though, the best looking thing in that image is the gun.
Comment
Kotaku, g4Kotaku... Um... On Attack Of The... Uh... Show
Basically, if Sony wants to salvage the PSP, they need to make it enticing for players. As people have already said, as of right now it's a homebrew machine. There are no games on it that are killer-aps. Believe me. I have every game for the PSP that has been critically praised (save for Metal Gears Portable Ops), and of them, the only really addicting one was Killzone Liberation. But that was a short experience, and clearly won't sell systems because of that. Then again, I actually haven't gotten around to playing Luminous (or its sequel) just yet.
So, clearly, where Sony's problem lies here is that it has no real reason to own the system. Perhaps if they arranged it so you could buy old PS1 games for the system through its website rather than the PS3 (hurry up with that already, Sony), things may look better. But if not, the system's life will quickly be flatlining.
Microsoft already got into the handheld market: the Zune! And we all know how that turned out....
By the way, you can't destroy Nintendo in the handheld market. It's the original iPod of its category in that they have a commanding market share. People can maybe grab a piece, but it won't be significant. They lack the vision of a good handheld vision, whereas Nintendo knows where it's at.
Comment
Kotaku, gamespotThe Sound Of GameStop Stalking
Quick question: what's the deal with the Terminator picture? Is it suppose to relate to the machine/robot aspect of the phone call? Could have done a Cylon instead or something.
Comment
Kotaku, multi-tapMulti-Tap: A Week In Comments
Those are all great comments. Especially the hippie hair