GameZone Editorials are special features - Zoned In or Writer's Block - by your favorite GameZone journalists. Here they share their opinions on a variety of game related topics; covering everything from trends, favorite games, developments in gaming, personal gaming experiences, and more.
Check back often to see what they have to say about the Game Industry today.
| Innovation comes from unexpected places to long-established titles 11/06/2008 02:41:00 PM Some old genres get some very next-gen facelifts and boy, what a great thing to see |
| Zombies, zombies, zombies!!!! 10/31/2008 09:00:00 AM GameZone's Mike David takes a chilling look at zombie games over the years. |
| Still Alive After All These Horrific Years: Silent Hill 10/29/2008 09:02:00 AM We take a look at survival/horror’s two most enduring franchises. |
| Still Alive After All These Horrific Years: Resident Evil 10/29/2008 09:01:00 AM We take a look at survival/horror’s two most enduring franchises. |
| Still Alive After All These Horrific Years 10/29/2008 09:00:00 AM We take a look at survival/horror’s two most enduring franchises. |
| Horror through the Years: A Look at Some Pivotal Titles in the Horror Genre 10/27/2008 09:00:00 AM From Texas Chainsaw Massacre to Dead Space, the Horror Genre has seen some change for the better over the decades. |
| E3 failed in more ways than it succeeded 07/23/2008 04:25:00 PM Show is degenerating and lacking value |
| Feeding the Flames: Sex in Videogames 06/19/2008 12:25:00 PM As the debate rages on, is sexual content in videogames really as big a problem as the media lets on? |
| Gamers are Spoiled 02/08/2008 08:09:00 AM There is a little 'brat' in all of us |
| A License To Kill 01/29/2008 10:57:00 AM If it has to be fun for everyone, it won’t be fun to anyone. |
| Devs may be out of touch with target audience when it comes to kids' games 01/11/2008 01:08:00 PM Kids are much more proficient at gaming now than they were 10 years agoKids are much more proficient at gaming now than they were 10 years ago |
| Why The Game Industry Is Smarter Than Hollywood – And Must Stay That Way To Survive 12/13/2007 09:09:00 AM Which do you think Hollywood cares about more: movies or light bulbs? |
| To sequel or not to sequel, that is the question 11/09/2007 10:17:00 AM There are times when making a sequel diminishes the impact of the original story |
| Unleashing your inner artist through game modding 11/02/2007 11:30:00 AM Using the right program can help would-be modders achieve amazing results |
| Gaming cliches: Rounding up the usual suspects 10/19/2007 07:30:00 AM Taking a look at some of the cliches that keep showing up in today’s games |
| Titles make the console 10/12/2007 07:30:00 AM Killer FPS games propel the 360 to the top of the next-gen console heap |
| The evolution of the RPG 10/05/2007 07:30:00 AM Console RPGs have come a long way in the last 20 years—we take a look at what the future holds for the genre |
| Communities can make or break a game 09/28/2007 12:30:00 PM There is a certain amount of responsibility in being a member of a game’s community – one that means helping others to enjoy the game |
| The rush to release hurts the industry more than it drives it 09/21/2007 12:30:00 PM Economics drive release dates where pride in the product should be the determining factor |
| Sound in games has come a long way, but it still has a ways to go to be consistently good 09/14/2007 12:30:00 PM When it is good, it can be blissfully ignored; when it is bad – you hunt for the remote and the mute button |
| A Boyfriend's Guide to Get Your Girl to Game 09/07/2007 02:30:00 PM He games but she doesn't; can it work out for both of them? Yes, it can |
| Single-player versus multiplayer in game design 08/31/2007 02:30:00 PM The journey should be the focus, not tacking on familiar multiplayer for replay value |
| The Delay Game 08/24/2007 10:45:00 AM Let's spin the Wheel of Delays and see who we'll lose next |
| Personalizing the experience makes sports games more compelling 08/17/2007 10:45:00 AM Having a namesake in the game puts name pride on the line and lures gamers deeper into the experience |
| The Fall Rush Begins Early 08/15/2007 03:14:00 PM Game launches heat up while summer winds down. |
| An old refrain – substance needed in games, not just pretty pictures 08/03/2007 05:00:00 PM New games may deliver on that concept, but it is long overdue nonetheless |
| Innovation sorely lacking in MMOs 07/27/2007 08:57:00 AM Changing names and environments won't be enough to sustain the genre as it enters a new phase |
| To Swag or not to Swag: That is the question 07/20/2007 08:56:00 AM Wanted – journalists who want to write about the industry, not just those interested in seeing how much free stuff they can get |
| Tale of the Tape: The Battle for E3 07/06/2007 12:37:00 PM With each console hitting their stride this year, who will walk away with honors this E3, and who will simply walk away? |
| Auto Assault closing its doors – a retrospective 07/03/2007 09:26:00 AM The game may not have been a financial hit, but it did succeed on certain levels |
| The New Face of Casual Games 06/29/2007 07:45:00 AM The sheer amount of games to choose from is staggering! The sheer amount of games to choose from is staggering! |
| AMA wants compulsive video gaming declared a mental illness – a rebuttal 06/25/2007 11:32:00 AM Medical profession needs to focus on the true illnesses of this world, not try to make a profit over irresponsible behavior |
| First-person shooters: Breaking out of the mundane 06/22/2007 07:45:00 AM A look at what’s on the horizon in the realm of first-person shooters to determine if developers are still trying to push the envelope |
| Buying Virtual Property - Online Economies and “Gold Farmers” 06/08/2007 07:45:00 AM An old adage is this: people only value what they have to work for |
| Technology or so to speak 06/01/2007 08:53:00 AM I am talking about the designing, building, fortifying and outfitting of an actual movie theater/video game room. |
| The Woman's Perspective: Thinking Independent 05/25/2007 07:45:00 AM How episodic content and next-generation gaming will usher in a new Golden Age of Gaming |
| Fighting Games – What We’ve Gained, What We’ve Lost 05/18/2007 07:45:00 AM Risks, as Ed Boon learned more than 15 years ago, are very much worth taking |
| Are MMOs too complicated? 05/14/2007 04:45:00 PM Games have achieved graphic beauty, now might be a good time to look at gameplay elements |
| Editorial: Is the Beast Master class new to the Star Wars Galaxies Online game or just a return to a discarded class? 04/27/2007 10:37:00 AM SWG reintroduces the pet class and the whole thing smacks of "bad faith" with those who once played the creature handler profession |
| Spore - can it deliver? 04/20/2007 07:47:00 AM Will Wright has to be applauded for bringing such a unique idea to the gaming world |
| The "power creep" still an unsolved problem for MMOs 04/13/2007 07:47:00 AM As time goes on, power creep begins to create significant headaches for both developers and players |
| Playing games is not just childs' play 03/30/2007 07:47:00 AM Studies show that the more engaged we keep our minds and bodies, the more likely we’ll live longer |
| How viable are voice programs in role-playing games? 03/16/2007 07:47:00 AM Voice alteration has come a long way, but still has a ways to go |
| Welcome to the world of mods - but enter at the risk of addiction 03/09/2007 09:47:00 AM Modding is a fact of life in the gaming world |
| Writer's Block: Why Hollywood’s fascination with games is a double-edged sword and why Orlando Bloom is just so pixel-icious 03/02/2007 10:21:00 AM Hollywood’s influence on games isn’t an entirely bad for games |
| Writers' Block: RTS: The graphics have been improved, how about new gameplay? 02/23/2007 10:06:00 AM Hopefully developers will take storytelling, among other aspects, to the next level |
| Writers' Block: Christmas is Over – Now What? 02/12/2007 04:14:00 PM What happens when one system shortage has run its course, and another just won’t seem to end? |
| Writer's Block: She's On My Team! 01/26/2007 09:28:00 AM How a hardcore gaming girl slowly became accepted on Xbox Live and other online games |
| Writers' Block: MMO Perspective: The environments are great, now how about improving character classes … 01/11/2007 02:15:00 PM The MMO industry does a terrific job of creating stellar environments but too often we are left with cookie-cutter classes and professions |
| Goodbye 2006 – you did a great job of setting up the next generation of immersive gaming 12/31/2006 02:30:00 AM We have the graphical power at our fingertips, now all we need are the stories |
| Use one tablet every day for an enriched PC experience 12/29/2006 08:57:00 AM With Vista on the horizon, a tablet for the PC may be a wise investment for would-be graphic artists and game designer wannabes |
| Stat babies cropping up in online games 08/07/2006 01:49:00 PM Some players care more for individual performance than team effort to detriment of MMO space |
| Goodbye, E3 08/01/2006 10:17:00 AM The so-called “evolution” of E3 is a nice way of disguising its dissolution. |
| E3 is not gone, but it will not be as it once was 07/31/2006 04:38:00 PM What was once a cacophony of sight and sound is not more, but the trade show will survive. With that in mind, it is time to look back |
| Gamers rule in hand-eye coordination, but only in the context of games 05/22/2006 05:10:00 PM Survey prompts thoughts on who has the best hand-eye coordination |
| MMO column on bugs, hacks draws readers' comments 03/20/2006 03:25:00 PM Readers respond to the issue of hacks and bugs stealing entertainment and enjoyment from MMOs |
| Bugs, exploits hamper an MMO, but the fault is mostly with players breaking the rules 03/02/2006 01:38:00 PM When players resort to cheating to feel superior, despite the best intentions of the developers, the fun leaves the game |
| Getting the word out about what an MMO contains 02/14/2006 04:34:00 PM In a market that is starting to become crowded, maybe succinct in-depth reports may help developers hold a transitory community |
| Cyber athletics versus real-world athletics: Never the twain shall meet 02/01/2006 01:39:00 PM Video games allow us to pursue dreams of glory in settings that are, for the most part, less than realistic |
| Goodbye, New Dereth, I will always remember you fondly 08/29/2005 07:28:00 PM Looking back on what Asheron’s Call 2 inspired in the wake of Turbine’s decision to close the game |
| Are Video Games In Danger? 08/02/2005 01:15:00 PM I recently heard about something that wasn't so funny: outsourcing. It's just a rumor (for now), but the fear is that it won't be for long. |
| What place do mods have in MMOs? 07/13/2005 04:33:00 PM To mod or not to mod, wish it were an easy question |
| Do real-life players create unrealistic expectations in sports games? 06/13/2005 05:47:00 PM When rules of the game are not adhered to, frustration can set in |
| The Price is Right 05/05/2005 11:28:00 AM One of the things I believe is that gamers pay $300 for a home console because that's what they're used to doing. |
| The Return of Exclusivity 04/18/2005 03:28:00 PM Exclusive games separate the competition. It makes owning each console worthwhile... |
| Again, George Lucas's point is proven: Hollywood doesn't care about anything. Just money. 04/15/2005 04:05:00 PM It's a joke that actors would expect royalties from games. We don't buy games because of the actors. |
| Reply to an open letter: Where do MMOs go from here? 03/17/2005 01:48:00 PM A few thoughts to follow up on questions posed by SOE President Jack Smedley |
| Support Issues Undercut Amazing MMO Game Experience 02/24/2005 02:11:00 PM When is too much success a bad thing? Blizzard seems to be walking the line with their new hit, World of Warcraft. |
| The Faces We Choose in the Worlds We Visit 01/21/2005 03:51:00 PM Perceptions can be dangerous things and lead to wrongful assumptions about the “good” or “evil” of a race |
| Guild Wars creates more skill-based challenge 01/13/2005 11:43:00 AM MMO title give players option to create pre-built PvP avatars |
| Guild Wars advances player combat skills and tries to level the field, but is it moving in the right direction? 11/10/2004 09:14:00 AM First thoughts on the state of combat models in the realm of massively multiplayer games |
| Dancing with Zombies at the Silent Hill Motel 10/19/2004 10:19:00 AM Since the first Resident Evil game down to the latest chapter of the Silent Hill games, survival-horror games have come a long way |
| The Future of Gaming 09/20/2004 03:46:00 PM PART UNO: The Build Up and The Early Adopters |
| High expectations can lead to high levels of disappointment 08/30/2004 11:49:00 AM Beta testers need to adopt a new mantra before entering a game |
| Sometimes you have to slow down and cyber-smell the realm’s roses 08/12/2004 04:39:00 PM Powerleveling can often cause players to overlook the very elements that started them playing a game |
| In a battle of benefits and harm rendered between videogames and television, the loser is … 08/05/2004 11:56:00 AM Games get a bad rap at times, but that isn’t the biggest contributor to problems facing the nation |
| Videogames making strides to step beyond the gaming platforms 07/29/2004 03:35:00 PM The key lies in what elements leave the videogame world, and what are left behind |
| MMP market may be growing with new titles, but it takes a lot for the titles to succeed 07/22/2004 04:40:00 PM Games evolve, gamers evolve but the fate of games lies in the hands of its players |
| The EA Sports Coverboy Curse – Fact or Fiction? 07/06/2004 04:26:00 PM Everyone wants to be on the cover of their own sports video game. But does gracing the cover of an EA Sports title jeopardize a professional athlete’s season? |
| Does character customization get any better than City of Heroes? 06/10/2004 03:28:00 PM Cryptic has raised the bar for all games, not just MMP titles |
| Problems abound with Lineage II, but hope remains 06/04/2004 02:37:00 PM The community needs to come together to help create a thriving atmosphere, not one of dissent |
| Bargain Bin Binge 04/09/2004 11:52:00 AM The chance to Uncover a Classic Game |
| Hollywood Ate My Consoles 04/08/2004 01:31:00 PM The Bearer shares his opinions of the impact of Hollywood on Video Games |
