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Totally fresh comments, never canned. . . catch up on all of the community happenings here.
Other Site Blogs
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Reviews Blog
Natural Selection 2 Review Pulled
Hi GameSpot readers! Yesterday, we posted our review of Natural Selection 2--but unfortunately, it's come to our attention...
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Rumor Control
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 arriving Nov. 13?
Source: A supposed Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 box art photo posted to the unofficial Modern Warfare 3 Twitter account. What we...
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Downloads Blog
Interested in a challenging yet fun indie turn-based strategy game?
You wake up in an unknown facility, in a medical gown and nothing else. The cold sense of reality sets in; you don't know your...
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News Blog
Uncharted 3 getting co-op survival mode
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception will welcome a new game mode in March, the developer has announced. The co-op Shade Survival game type...
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Social Share: More than meets the eye
Bulletin: Security and Tech Deck
Jumping right in about the latest and greatest happenings on the internets, there was a massive outage of Gmail which affected up to 35 million users. Another outage that occurred affected up to 10 percent of its global user base, meaning no email for them. Next up we ask the age old question: “Is switching to a different OS a security fix?” Well according to PC World they have some serious doubts, saying “ The reality is that Linux is not more secure. It is simply less targeted.” For example, as you can see based on this chart, the number of Apple rigs effected by various Malware attacks since last year.
Speaking of security issues, according to Zdnet there is a fake Instagram app on Android that is actually malware and VentureBeat has a story about a Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights recommended by the US government and the European Union. Companies may be required to get consent from their readers before storing advertising cookies. In other news there are a few new protests targeting the US cyber intelligence legislation. Civil liberties groups started their protests against US cyber intelligence laws that would let police and other officials check out people's private online information.
Shifting into entertainment, Xbox Live is proud of their apps line-up and depending on your region you can unlock HBO GO, iHeartRadio, Last.fm, Syfy, TODAY, UFC, VEVO, and much more. Microsoft isn’t the only one getting frisky with entertainment, MGM has hooked up with Youtube and Google Play to provide a rental program with 600 titles. Lastly, IKEA plans to sell electronics to expand your furnishing needs.
Game.ology
Better late than never, Skyrim’s Arrow to the knee meme appeared in a recent episode of NCIS. But, I bet you’re wondering why that meme won’t go away, after all it's used to the point of nausea by everyone (even by those who've never picked up the darn game). Well, WhatCulture.com gives us nine reasons why people still play Skyrim which helps one to better understand this phenomena, but if you already knew these things here's a funny video of the "original" arrow to the knee adventurer. And speaking of old trends, Bitmob has an article about the demise of local arcades, saying "Global communications and the internet, while invaluable assets, have afforded people the opportunity to isolate themselves from tangible communities".
Enough about the old, let's talk about some new things! PlayStation Vita has 3 free apps, but maybe you don’t have a Vita, you have a mobile phone! Bozanimal tells us why it’s okay to play mobile games In his words: “Mobile gaming is hot right now; hotter than platform or PC gaming, in terms of hype. Every developer and mom-and-pop is vying for a multi-million dollar success story like Angry Birds, Jetpack Joyride, or Temple Run. The majority of these games are simple, quick to learn, and as easy to put down as they are to pick up.” Now, get out there and try some of the games he mentioned to find out why.
Making Mischief
- Christopher Walken rings the Skryim-bell
- Zelda: The Musical video
- RUMOR: Apple console in the works
- Name that game character booty
- Everyone's a winner (Mario)
- MadMen X-Men Mashup Art
The Creative
Time to check out the creative findings on the internets. First we take a look at how to make your own Tron Light Cycle, then we danced in amusement about this Star Wars LEGO Diorama that plays theme music. But, getting down to the why so serious, there's an interesting idea of defending the “meme” as a work of art . By some definitions they do fall under the umbrella of art, whereas others might disagree. Next up are a pair of caring parents who built this Minecraft case mod for their kid and a Gourmet gamer has cooked up some Minecraft mushroom shaped stew. Speaking of computers, if you have room for a cute paper craft you should consider checking out this cut out of Gomez from Fez to add to your paper craft collection. And if you're have having a hard time solving some of those tricky puzzles some researchers claim that a bit of beer can help.
Socially Weird, Terrific or Frightening (WTF)
Have you ever found yourself standing in an elevator thinking to yourself “Man I really wish this wall had a flavor” well good news! At the Engine offices in London they’ve installed an elevator called the “Lick-able Lift” which takes people to their 16th floor and while they wait they’re invited to take a lick at the wall. While we are on the subject of senses, who doesn’t love the scent of a newly purchased tech toy. Air Aroma has decided to to create a new fragrance called “De Facto Standard” that smells like printed ink on cardboard, paper and plastic inside cardboard, and a certain apple product. Finally for those of you who like to spend your time getting spooked by various things that go bump in the night. On the Level Gaming shared this game created by BlitzMax called SCP-Containment Breach, a new free to play survival horror game. And finally, your awesome dose for the day, enjoy this amazing video game rock medley!
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Social Share: What is up with that flare?
Bulletin
The Internet is always pumping with fresh hype, trends, and legal e-drama. This week's Facebook acquisition of Instagram seemed to be the most talked about. Other topics that surfaced include accusations that CISPA is SOPA in disguise and embedding third-party videos or images war. Moving out of the greedy and on to the giving, Spotify now lets you share free music on personal blogs and Pinterest has new buttons on Ebay or Amazon.
Game-ology
Digging deeper into the realm of social and gaming-related topics, Gaikai plans to the cloud gaming service for Facebook users. The Facebook app beta launches with Saints Row: The Third, Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, and more. In other areas around the Internet, FrugalDad declares that gaming is good for you, Avault shares why World of Warcraft gets too much credit, Wired defines asynchronous gaming (think Words With Friends/Draw Something), and Massively contemplates MMO hotbar combat versus action combat.
Geeky Gimmies
For some awesome geeky gimmies, check out Synthia's latest blog. We've got everything from glasses and tables to accessories and more. Oh, we do take donations of any of the items mentioned. Thanks in advance! (We're kidding…kind of…but the items are pretty nifty and you should check them out.) If you find, make, or know of any other awesome Geeky Gimmies, feel free to send me a message.
Making Mischief
Here are a few funny images and videos.
- In the Zone: VG Cats
- Robotic rings turn your fingers into a face
- Real Life Simpsons
- The Emo Kid, Troll, and Hacker in All of Us
- Jedi Grandma
- Nintendo's Attempt at making a viral video.
Socially Weird, Terrific, or Frightening
First up, Jessica Nigri gets asked to leave PAX for exposing too much skin. Fun fact: the PAX community is apparently fairly anti-booth babe. In this recent PAX experience, Jessica Nigri (a big hit among cosplayers) showed up as Juliet Starling from Lollipop Chainsaw wearing a pink jumpsuit zipped down far below her belly button, she was asked to leave after receiving a "number of complaints." What do you guys think: Are booth babes at risk of going extinct? Speaking of things going extinct, your privacy! Just take a look at some of the 10 creepiest apps for phones, Facebook, and more We found this interesting albeit terrifying piece about apps for creepers, and not the cute and cuddly minecraft ones. Not even tinfoil hats will save you from some of these bad boys. For example Recognizr: this little gem lets you point your smartphone camera at somebody's face, after which their contact info and social network updates pop up. Fun huh? Last but not least, here's this awesome fan-made Mega Man X Movie. It cost $700, two green screens, and some pro-bono actors. It's amazing what hard work and passion can do for an indie movie.
Feeling Crafty
TheRealDuckie and a couple of his friends have started working on a functional replica of Walt Disney World in Minecraft. He frequently posts his updates on Reddit, and currently there are rideable rides, working restaurants, and other park features. Take that, Kinect Disneyland Adventures! Another heart-warming tale of a crafty kid, some cardboard, and a dream in "Caine's Arcade."
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Community Check-In: Clever Title is Clever
Spring is here and you know what that means, we’re switching up the Community News format! We’ve decided to introduce a new feature into the mix known as Field Trip Friday, where Jody will be bringing to you some of the latest industry news such as events, goodies, giveaways and job opportunities. Then on Wednesdays we will be starting our "Social Share" Community News, featuring gaming highlights, here you'll also find user blogs, reviews, art, videos, podcasts and anything else that you guys cook up, so be sure to check that out tomorrow. For news on how to enter in our Raffle Rewards program for a chance at some gaming swag, keep scrolling to the bottom of the report.
To Do List: Community Activities and Contests
GameSpots Been Nominated
We're at it again this year, GameSpot has been nominated for a Webby, to find out how you can spread the word be sure to check back on Friday.Mass Effect Pixel Art Contest - Wrapen it Up!
You still have time to get in your submission to the Mass Effect Pixel Art contest! Deadline is April 13th so if you haven't sent us your submission be quick about it! Once the deadline hits we’ll be posting the submissions and letting the community weigh in on which image they want to see take the cake (all Portal references will result in moderation, seriously we don’t need to go there). So be sure to check the Activities and Competitions forum for your chance to cast your vote.GameBoard Break Up and Rebound Party Challenge
Only one more week to chat it up in the forums and be automatically entered to win our Rebound Party Challenge. Just as a reminder, everyone is invited to play for a chance at this reward and we mean EVERYONE!PAX East(er): Let there be Swag!
This last weekend we asked you to switch your signature to include news about our PAX East coverage! To those of you who did, your names were entered in a chance to win some nifty swag from the PAX show floor. Who won? Drum Roll please……. DALGER21! Congrats and thanks for taking the time to spread the word about PAX East. Well be doing more of these as the events season kicks into high gear so be sure to check out the Activities and Competitions board. Additionally, anyone who switched their signature should now change it back to the appropriate signature.GameSpot Coverage
GameSpot @ PAX East
Over the weekend GameSpot was over in the great bean state of Boston to cover PAX East(er). As you can see there was quite a bit to check out, news on Minecraft, Torchlight II, GameSpots MLG Heartthrob Kelly Kelly, and of course no PAX would be complete without a little bit of Indie Game coverage.Prototype 2 Awesome Exclusive Trailers
Looks like GameSpot will be showing off some exclusive Prototype 2 trailers. We will be releasing trailer after trailer after trailer up until the games release(April 24th)! We've already shown off the first of many trailers "Kicking Ass #1" be sure to track Prototype 2 to stay up to speed.Now Playing: The Witcher 2- Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition
This weeks Now Playing we'll be showing off The Witcher 2 on the X360 (set to release on April 17th). And sure we could turn this episode into a long debate about graphics and the comparison between the two but this Now Playing should be so much more than that! In addition to the claims of "No Quality Compromise" The Witcher 2 Enhanced Edition also promises all previous improvements and DLCs , new cinematic's and cutscenes, new characters, locations, user interface, adventures and more! This isn't just some HD remake, this is enhanced!On the Spot Teaser - Rumor Has It
GameSpot Community Managers risk life and limb to share what's going on this weeks eposide of On the Spot. Looks like this there are going to be a few awesome features, a live demo of The Walking Dead, a demo of "Fez" (rumored to be spoiler free) as well as Infinity Blade 2 with a special GameSpot exclusive announcement that you won't want to miss. As always, we'll be taking your questions in the comments, the chat room, on Youtube and on TwitchTV. Before being caught by the video team we managed to snag this image:Rumor has it this GameSpot fight stick set up is related in some way to this weeks On the Spot prize. What could it be? Well you'll have to tune in to find out!
Video Game Forecast
This weeks gaming forecast we have a downpour of fighting games with a light drizzle of puzzlers. As you can see, Tuesday we'll be experiencing a Phantom Breaker (X360)
Storm, as you can see it is about a mysterious organization known as Phantom which pits players against each other. What’s the prize? the winner of the tournament will have their wish granted. Moving on to Wednesday the light drizzle of Fighting Games turns into a downpour with Skullgirls hitting XBLA and PSN hard, better grab your umbrellas' those hand drawn high rez frames are a doozy. We'll see a slight break with Max Payne Mobile (sorry Android, you'll get your chance later). And then lastly Friday grab your Fez 'cause there's nothing but sunshine in this brightly rendered 2D world. For more information on this weeks releases you can check out our Extended Forecast here..Introducing: Raffle Rewards!
GameSpot community is introducing a new activity to our Monday Check-In, the "Raffle Reward" program. But I'm sure you're all just wondering how you can get your mits on some super easy and awesome swag, right? Here's how to play the game, its super simple. Simply finish the sentence in the comments section below, seriously… that's it. There is however, one catch. To unlock the prize there must be at least 50 entries to unlock the prize.
So according to today’s reports you guys are super excited about Xenoblade Chronicles, and heck why wouldn’t you! It’s a Superb game (literally… it got a 9.0) so this week we’ve decided that we’ll be giving away a copy.
Let the game begin: Finish the following sentence in the comments below:
"We'd appreciate it if the supporting actors would just ________"
Fave Find
This weeks Fave Find is this awesome Skyrim inspired music video. One voice, One Violin, can you say Fus Ro D-AWESOME!
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Field Trip: Revamped
We've revamped the blog format to make it easier for you to get to the stuff you actually want. These reports will also be scheduled to come out each Friday thanks to Synthia's fabulous suggestion. As always, if you have some game industry community news worth sharing send me a PM or @GSJody on Twitter. Happy Friday!
Events & Activities
Is 2012 the year you plan to socialize or network with other gamers in person? We'll be keeping an eye out for events, gatherings, and other attractions you can attend in person. If you can't attend in person, we'll share if there's live streaming of the event. Here are some recent gatherings that were announced, or maybe they're actually happening soon! You can also discuss upcoming events by dropping by the Events & Attractions Forum.
- PAX East April 6-8, Boston, MA, $35+ [coverage]
- House of LAN April 20-22 San Diego, CA $35
- Game Hack April 28-29, London, UK, est. £6.00 [open registration]
- GBLAN 5 May 4-6 Green Bay, WI $30 [scroll to bottom for pricing]
- Ottawa Game Conference May 29 Ottawa, Canada, CA$187+
- SOE Live Oct 18-21 Las, Vegas, Nevada [formerly known as Fanfaire]Kickstarter Alert
With the number of amazing kickstarters that have surfaced, we figured it is about time we share some creative ones established by people who have been in the industry. Because there are so many, we'll also have another mention to other kickstarters in our new social media reports that you'll see every Tuesday. This week's kickstarter goes to Jane Jensen's Pinkerton Road: "A Year of Adventure." This developer offers three adventure game opportunities. Watch the promo below, drop by the kickstarter page, and visit the game studio's official website.
Virtual Stimulation
We'll share some virtual stuff like new map packs, DLC, and beta offers in this area.
- Star Wars: The Old Republic is available for free this weekend.
- World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria beta opt-in and FAQ.
- Gears of War 3 Forces of Nature adds five multiplayer maps and weather conditions.
- UNCHARTED 3 Drake’s Deception new multiplayer map pack announced.
- Secret World preorder will guarantee access to exclusive beta in May.
- Tera beta is happening here!
- Sony's Season 3 of the Tester reality show has tts finale
- Little Big Planet's Sackboy wanders into Wonderland.
- War Thunder Closed Beta combat MMO has started.
- Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion preorder and get in the beta.
Goodies & Activities Bin
Here we'll share freebies, product announcements, and other activities you can check out.
- Sega’s Free Stuff Friday has Yakuza, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Sonic, and more!
- Get a free copy of Fallouton GOG.
- World of Warcraft: Noblegarden activity from April 8 - April 14.
- Blacklight Retribution is now in its open beta phase.
- Win a Prototype 2 Camaro SS and Foam blade arm on Activision's community site.
- Devil May Cry wallpaper available in celebration of the HD Collection version.
- Create a Blockbuster Movie Poster and win some City of Heroes goodies.
- Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (X360/PS3) multiplayer beta from April 19 to May 2.
- Mega Bloks World of Warcraft product line announced.Career Path
If you're trying to get your foot in the game industry door, we'll share some game industry jobs every now and then!
- Capcom is seeking a UK Community Manager.
- Gearbox has a variety of positions available! -
Monday Check-In: Playtime With PAX
What's Hot
Time again for the weekly Monday Check-In. There is a bunch to look forward to, awesome new game releases, community activities, and, of course, PAX East.
Gaming Forecast
Here is your weekly forecast for games for the week of April 2-8:
I Am Alive (X360 and PS3)
Ubisoft new survival horror title set in a hazardous and crumbling world.
Shoot Many Robots (X360, PC, PS3)
Work with your friends to fight through the chaotic evil robot uprising.
Skullgirls (X360 and PS3)
The fact-paced 2D fighting game, developed by Reverge Labs, features femme fatales in a Dark Deco world.
Kinect Star Wars (X360)
Use the Force, race some pods, boogie down, and learn to wield a lightsaber all while taking on the darkside.
Xexnoblade (Wii)
The highly anticipated North American release of this AAA JRPG.
Blacklight: Retribution (PC)
A first-person shooter based in a futuristic urban war zone.Announcements
PAX East
PAX East is fast approaching, and on Friday April 6, Boston will open its doors for gamers of all sorts to peruse the floor. There are a ton of things to see this year, and of course we'll be there to bring you quality coverage. To get the play-by-play, you can check out our PAX East page or follow PAX on Twitter. What can you expect to see? Well, here is some of the coverage from 2011. Check it out! We’ll also be taking your suggestions on what to cover during PAX in this thread here.PAX East - Signature Showdown
GameSpot will be giving you a chance to get in on some PAX East schwag. You might be wondering how! Change your signature, link to GameSpot at PAX, and Roll Call. For more details about this activity, check out this page here.Pixel Art Contest
We've gotten in a plethora of pixel masterpieces for our Mass Effect 3. Haven't sent in your submission? Don't worry, there's still time to get your submission to the GameSpot Community team. Remember that the more submissions entered, the bigger the prize pack will become.Rebound Party Challenge
GameSpot is excited about finally getting to spread its wings a bit from GameFAQs by giving users a chance at $150's in Best Buy Gift Cards. For more information check out this announcement.Top Fusers
Are you new to the Fuse experience? Just getting your feet wet and need to know whom to follow? Well. we're here to share with you the top 15 Fusers.
perkinsj26, Sefrix, Rydia241, BloodMist , Soothsayer42, Spinnerweb, phoenixgaiangel, Smokescreened84, Ghanima_A , Xandoom, CUDGEdave, superfalcon1234, robdingo, GunBladeHero, and Joshua2222GameSpot's Top 7 April Fools' Day Stories
We all know that April 1 plagues game news sites with various pranks, monkeyshines, and general tomfoolery. Here were some of GameSpot's favorite foolish finds.
Did you find a particularly interesting April Fools' prank? Comment in the section below and share your snarky find for some profile points to go toward your user level. -
Rebound Party Challenge!
GameSpot is celebrating the GameFAQs breakup with style by offering GameSpot members a chance at a special treat! Over the next two weeks, GameSpot members posting topics in the new boards on the game page will receive tickets that we'll add to a fishbowl! We are not kidding, we have a real fishbowl!
The challenge starts March 28 at 3:30 p.m. PT, and you have until Sunday April 15 at 11:59 p.m. PT to participate and automatically be entered. The three ticket holders chosen randomly will each receive a $50 Best Buy gift card as a reward! Get your name in the fishbowl enough times, and you could end up with the whole shebang!
Everyone is invited to play, and we mean EVERYONE! Otherwise it wouldn't be a party!
PARTICIPATION
Each user who creates a topic will receive a ticket.
EXAMPLE:Every topic that becomes a hot topic (the read/unread icon gains flames) becomes five tickets
EXAMPLETHE BOARDS
You can find all the boards needed to participate in this blog entry here. Keep in mind we'll be adding more boards as we go along. But make sure the board does NOT SAY "powered by GameFAQs."
RULES
- A user can have only one eligible topic per hour. If a user chooses to create more than one topic in a given hour, staff will select the topic.
- Topics must be a MINIMUM of 20 words in length.
- Duplicate content / plagiarism will not be tolerated. Violators of this rule will be disqualified and moderated.
- We'll be operating on a raffle system. The more topics, the better your chances. If your name is drawn multiple times, you can receive multiple rewards.
- Forum games (YLYL, Hurt/Heal, etc.) or lounge-type discussions will not count as a submission. We do, however, welcome these activities, but they will not be eligible.
- Forum topics created in boards powered by GameFAQs will NOT be counted.Winners will be announced via a video announcement.
TIPS
- The better crafted the topic, the better your chances of making it a hot topic.
- Adding visuals such as video or images might increase interest in your topic.
- The more topics you post, the better your chances.
Be sure to check back for other ways you can earn profile points and emblems.
Got a question? Post it in the comments below. -
GameSpot and GameFAQs Break Up
Hello GameSpot members.
It had to happen at some point. We lived in separate universes. Our moments together were often fragile, but today is the day we had to break it off.
GameSpot has split off from the GameFAQs mirrored forums on all gamespaces, and the GameFAQs logo no longer has GameSpot. You will now be directed to one of the following depending on whether or not a series or game board was created: genre board, game series board, or game board (all platforms). However, you can visit the GameFAQs mirrored boards by going to a gamespace and clicking the platform boards.
We also have a board requests forum dedicated to your suggestions.
With these changes you should notice the following:
- You'll begin to notice familiar faces from other forums on GameSpot.
- New boards dedicated to your favorite genres!
- Embed video enabled, but use the newer embed codes.
- Quick quote and reply on these boards function properly!
- GameSpot community team can assist you with requests or moderation issues.
- GameFAQs members will no longer report you for broken spoiler tags, and more! -
Weekly Wrap-Up: Big News
Recap
The re-return of the daily community news is slowly gaining steam. This week, there were several fascinating blogs to choose from, 25 to be specific. And hopefully with the slow season of games ending, there will be a greater pool of gamer reviews to pull from.
Announcements
GiantBomb - Comin' Home
This was a big week at GameSpot. If you haven't heard the news, GiantBomb will once again be joining forces with us at the GameSpot offices. But that's not all: we're also welcoming aboard the good folks over at Comic Vine. Beers all around! (only if you're of legal drinking age...of course.)Getting to Know GameSpot Delayed
This feature should be launching some time next week, so be sure to stay tuned to the community news. To help tide you over until then, however, please feel free to reintroduce yourselves to Jeff Gertsman.Member Spotlight
This week's Member Spotlight shines on MrSelf-Destruct for his awesome (though spoiler-filled) blog about "How Mass Effect 3 should have ended - According to a fan" . For those of you who have played the game, or for those who don't mind the spoilers, you should go check out this insightful read.
Activities
Mass Effect Project Pixel
As promised earlier in the week, GameSpot is having a pixel art contest! GameSpotters will have two weeks to become massively inspired or, dare we say, affected by BioWare's latest release. For the full details and nitty-gritty of the contest, follow this link.Mass Effect 3 Community Game Night
It's finally here! It's the first community game night of 2012 and what better choice than Mass Effect 3 and its spiffy multiplayer mode? Don't have a copy of the game? You can join in on the chat room and hang out with your fellow GameSpot member. Can't make it to the event? Never fear, your friendly community manager will be capturing the event (well, at least a part of it) and will be uploading it to the GameSpot Spotlight channel. If any other ambitious GameSpotters choose to capture their experience, share it with community@gamespot.com to get your video added! Also, check out Chris Watters' top three tips for Mass Effect 3 multiplayer. -
Blog Bunker: Mass Mayhem
Soap Club
How to Write a Better Review By: pokecharm
DLC or ULC? By: fend_oblivion
What happened to Men? By: fend_oblivion
Mass Effect Mayhem
WARNING: Some of these blogs may contain spoilers about Mass Effect, so read at your own risk!
Mass Effect 3 (zero spoilers!) By: Hellfire-1
Mass Effect 3: Wait, The Multiplayer ISN'T Horrible! By: Rottenwood
Three-Headed Monster - Mass Effect: Infiltrator Review By: WTA2k5
GC Podcast Episode 2: Mass Effect 3 Edition By: stephenage
Anything Popular Will Get Hate By: fantasyfacade
How Mass Effect 3 SHOULD Have Ended - According to a Fan By: MrSelf-Destruct
The World of Games and Gaming
About Those Trailers By: Setho10
The Business of Video Games. By: Sefrix
Going Bananas By: Pierst179
Adit942's Guide to Videogames By: adit942
Ajax's Ultimate Guide to Minecraft: The Legend of the Herobrine By: AjaxNeron
Almost, but not quite #21: Spore By: Doomguard3
So underrated "under-appreciated" By: DR-ZMBK
Alice: Madness Returns - A Critical Reflection By: TechnologoDoom
Nostalgia makes everything better- and worse By: Bozanimal
A Bit of a Legend - Dev Diary 1 By: persianlink
Off the Radar
Netflix By: dylan417
John Carter - Film Review By: biggest_loser
Staff Fingerprints
GameSpot and eSports By: Erick
Episode 6 - Retrospective By: CarlosRodela
A Game of You and Me: Reflections on Love and Friendship in Game Design By: carolynmichelle
Remembering Game Nights By: JodyR
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Monday Check-In: Massive Effects
What's Hot
Boy, it has been a while since we've done one of these so it's time to dust the old girl off and get her going again. There was quite a bit going on this past week with GDC in full swing. There were a great many sights to be had, games to be played, and panels to be…erm…planked? With all the chaos buzzing around the office, we're happy to finally have a moment to stop and relax with our favorite community news piece.
To start things off, we welcomed GDC 2012 visitors with some classic 8-bit style. Sure, it took us nearly five hours and over 6,000 Post-its to create, but we thought it was worth it.
We also decided that we would feature some of the wild indie games that we caught wandering the show room floor in last week's episode of On the Spot.
And last but not least, in episode six of Screen Tear, we follow Carlos to the Microsoft bar to see if any of his "multiplayer" pickup lines works on the female developers at GDC.
Gaming Forecast
Silent Hill: Downpour
Silent Hill returns with the eighth installment in its long-running horror genre series.
Tales of Graces f
The new story from the Tales of Grace series comes to the PlayStation 3.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations combines characters from both of the series timelines for players to battle it out.Announcements
Trivia Time
After much deliberation and consideration amongst various GameSpot staff and certain valued GameSpot members, we are going to be attempting to make GameSpot trivia a regular thing in the GameSpot Competitions & Activities forum. Recently, we had our Umbrella Day trivia, which featured questions from the Resident Evil franchise. Those who took part in the activity and managed to answer enough questions correctly were awarded the Umbrella Emblem. This activity was so well received that we will be making this a reoccurring feature. Have a suggestion on a game that should have a trivia page? Have a great and difficult question that you want included? Submit your contribution to GS-Community.Ranger Casting Call
Do you fancy yourself a helpful member of the GameSpot community? Perhaps you have a creative spirit just begging to be released? Is your knowledge of gaming considered nothing short of impressive? We're looking for helpful GameSpotters with gaming knowledge that reaches beyond that of the average user. Send GS-Community a private message explaining what games or platforms are your specialty.Coming Soon….
Indie Spotlight
Marco Martinez plans to explore Indie games again in the Downloads site blog! Check back later today for the latest indie spotlight!Getting to Know GameSpot
Long ago in an office not unlike the one we sit in now, there was a GameSpot staff member who would post videos to help GameSpotters get to know their editors, new guys, content creators, and even community managers. That man was Aaron Thomas, and some of his interviews were with GameSpot superstars like Ricardo Torres, Greg Kasavin, Andrew Park, and more. GameSpot community manager Synthia Weires will be rebooting this feature, and in honor of National Women's History Month, the first to be featured will be GameSpot's Carolyn Petit. We want to include some of your burning questions for Carolyn so feel free to mention them in the comments below.The Return of Game Night
It has been a while since we've done one of these…perhaps it was the business of the holidays or the odd time-zone differences. Or maybe everyone was too distracted playing other games. Whatever the reason, one thing is certain: we're long overdue for one of these bad boys! So to get started, we'll be having a Mass Effect 3 Community Game Night on Saturday starting at 3:00 p.m. PT. For more details, check out this page here. UPDATE: If you'd like to create an emblem for this game night drop by the Emblems union! -
Blog Bunker: A Little Something Special
Club Soap
Why you're not entitled to Day-One DLC By: Tremblay343
Mass Effect 3 - EA is Bioware's Cancer By: NColdhardt
World of Games and Gaming
More gender choice and new ideas badly needed in the industry By: Smokescreened84
A demo, a trial and a beta By: Doomguard3
Next Gen Gaming, You're Doing It Wrong. By: Sefrix
My Idea for Assassin's Creed III By: NightFox313
So far in my new games Community Manager job By: wonderboy_46
My Friday soapdish -- Video Games and Hollywood By: Asagea_888
Wii U - Control Interfaces Reworked Yet Again. By: Haziqonfire
Catherine Spends Her Birthday In Europe By: Daavpuke
Ten Most Badass Protagonists Introduced this Gen By: NeonNinja
If we didn't like it then… By: yeah_write
Off the Radar
Rant #2 - YouTube Commenters By: ShaineTheNerd
Book review - Halo: First Strike By: Azghouls
More Reasons Why People Are Terrible By: AlmightyMax
Staff
Figuring it out By: CarlosRodela
Video Blog Bonus!
GameSpot Ranger Dragonps created a video blog expressing excitement about the new Metal Gear Solid.
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Monday Check-In: Leap Year Update!
What's Hot
MLG New York Coverage
If you've been wondering what the hype is around e-sports, check out this article and then head over to check out coverage of MLG New York. Slasher checks in with the players of MLG New York, and you'll find the daily wrap-ups for day one and day two. Check back later for day three coverage early this week.Screen Tear
Screen Tear tore up our screens last week with some real-life interruptions of games like Angry Birds and GoldenEye. Carlos also shows us how much of a fan he is of Stevie Wonder.Skyrim PC Modification
Fans will be happy to see the second edition or our Top Five Skyrim Mods of the Week. Shaun McInnis shows us how much he enjoys BBQd chicken and more.Forecast
Now Playing Episodes
We have plenty of Now Playing episodes planned this week for some big game titles. Be sure to watch the front page or drop by the Now Playing hub each day for the latest.The Gun Show Coming Soon
Watch out for the latest episode of the Gun Show featuring Syndicate weapons.Insider Notes
Industry Changes
If you've wondered why we've changed the way we do things over the years, some of it might have to do with the way the game industry changes. Read what Justin Calvert has to say about working for GameSpot for 12 years now.Ranger Casting Call!
Do you fancy yourself a helpful member of the GameSpot community? Perhaps you have a creative spirit just begging to be released? Is your knowledge of gaming considered nothing short of impressive? We're looking helpful GameSpotters with gaming knowledge that reaches beyond that of the average user. Send gs-community a private message explaining what games or platforms are your specialty. Find out more about what a Ranger is all about here.Activity
I Chooo-Choo Choose You! I know you've missed these activities! Send gs-community a PM with a user you believe should be a Ranger. You may notice a little boost to your level for contributing in such a manner!
Jake's Revenge
As some of you know, we have a "friendly mascot" at the GameSpot office. Capture this image by leaving your comments below for a slight boost in profile points. -
Weekly Wrap-Up: My Bloody Valentine
Friday Wrap-Up
Screen Tear Ep 3
This week's Screen Tear isn't exactly for the faint of heart. It features the fabulous Carlos Roland, and we'll be taking a look at some...interesting clips this week. This is the third episode of the series about the videos you love to watch (for whatever reason that might be).RE: Tournament Recap
The fight was long and the setting was like something out of an '80s horror movie (only without the CRT's and big hair). In the middle of the tournament, we also had several other highlights, including a costume contest, trivia for a chance at downloadable content, and even a zombie-themed wedding where the weird couple pledged to love one another well into un-death. Check out the recap of the Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City - First Line of Defense Tournament.Umbrella Trivia
Thanks to all of those users who participated in the Umbrella Day Trivia. Results will be tallied and the winner of the Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City Tournament bundle will be announced during next week's Blog Blunker!On the Spot - As Always, Taking Your Questions!
For the past few weeks, On the Spot has been going to greater efforts to provide answers to your burning questions about the games featured during that week's show. But with the flow of questions from Twitch, YouTube, and of course Chitty Chat, it is only natural that some of those questions will be missed. Didn't hear your question read on air? Send a PM to your community manager Synthia, and she will do her best to find an answer for you. You can also get a sneak peek at an upcoming episode's features by checking out CharlieSpot posts on Wednesday!Every Friggin' Game Sweepstakes (Facebook)
Are you a big Ubisoft fan? Do you need to spruce up your gaming library? You can enter for a chance to win every Ubisoft game released in 2012 on the console of your choice by entering in this contest here.Member Spotlight
This week's Member Spotlight shines on the fabulous Deershadow for creating the popular Umbrella emblem that many of you are currently enjoying on your profiles.
Soap Club
The Importance of Relationships in Gaming. By: ZenesisX
Top 10 Worst Video Game to Movie Translations By: wolfbm
Do publishers have a moral right to prevent second hand game sales? By: Chickan_117
Rad Reviewers
Xbox 360
Final Fantasy XIII - 2 By: chronoblaster
[7.5 - Good] Mild-mannered school teacher by day. Dragon-slaying, behemoth-crushing time-traveler by night.
PlayStation 3
Twisted Metal By: SilentAssassin
[8.5 - Great]Twisted Metal is BACK!!!!
PC
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning By: NadCAtarun
[7.5 - Good] Amalur is a hack'n'slash. It will lift you up with its gameplay and let you down with its universe, or lack thereof.
Activity
Valentine's Day has come and gone, and what better way to reflect on the subject of love than to revisit the bloody wedding ceremony from that faithful Tuesday evening in San Francisco? If you could have some kind of theme wedding, what would it be?
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Blog Bunker: What Is Love?
Club Soap
The Epic Shooter Battle of 3's Retrospective By: Setho10
Why iOS devices get all the game tie-in love By: yeah_write
I used to be an iPhone user like you, then I took a Lumia in my… By: phazer
World of Games and Gaming
Twisted Metal Demo Impressions By: MudkipMaster30
Gaming conventions we take for granted By: BSte2952
Almost, but not quite #20: Gotham City Impostors By: Doomguard3
Game cravings - Side-scrolling action platformers By: mufujifi
Unreal Engine 4 By: SickHammer
Yagr Plays an Old Fashioned RPG By: Yagr_Zero
GameSpot: A Victim Of Score Inflation By: Rottenwood
Should You Buy These? By: Jbul
Sly Cooper 1 vs. Sly Cooper 2 By: kbaily
Memorable video games music (Fourth Generation) By: archvile_78
GDC has me especially interested this year By: nintendoboy16
Off the Radar
Single Awareness Day (And a Song) By: Feryraiser
Help me with recording gameplay footage, I'm bad at it! By: buft
May Comic Solicitations By: AtlanticRock
Is Love in the Air? Probably Not By: pokecharm
I'm starting to use Fuse more and more By: chicknfeet
Staff Fingerprints
I made a monster By: shaunmc
The meaning behind Breezing By…. By: JodyR
Game Delays and how much you hate them! By: Taytortots
round 2 By: CarlosRodela
A Manifesto of Sorts By: jwhdavison
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Weekly Wrap-Up: Happy Umbella Day
D.I.C.E. Summit and the AIAS Awards
http://www.gamespot.com/video/aias-and-gamespot-announcement-video-6348581/ Thursday night was a fantastic awards show, and today, users have the chance to check out many of the terrific features that were covered. We'll have all the streams ON-DEMAND for today's presentations available on Saturday, Feb. 11. For a full list of events, check this link here.Only One Week Until Resident Evil: ORC Tournament!
Still not sure what to do for Valentine's Day? Sign up for your FREE TICKET to GameSpot's Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City - First Line of Defense Tournament ticket. Not able to join us at our offices? We'll be live streaming the tournament, as well as featuring some amazing Resident Evil trivia, costume contests, and even a wedding! Be sure to stay tuned for more details.Umbrella Day Trivia!
In honor of Umbrella Day, we've pulled together some tricky Umbrella Corp-themed trivia for you to answer. By doing this activity, you'll also be eligible for an Umbrella emblem, so click here to play!New Emblem - Users' Choice!
What will the Umbrella emblem look like? You get to help decide! Thanks to some of our fantastic Rangers, we have a few options to choose from. Voting will end on Thursday, February 16, and the winner will be announced on the following Friday! Choose your favorite Umbrella emblem here.Street Fighter X Tekken Valentine's Day Cards
Need a special way to tell that special person something? Do it with a Street Fighter X Tekken Valentine's Day card! Feeling creative? Make your own gaming Valentine card to share with your special someone. Send one to your favorite GameSpotter on FUSE, share who your valentine was, and you'll receive profile points! -
Monday Check-In: Reheated
Announcements
New Rangers Incoming!
That's right, we've got some new Rangers joining us at the ol' GameSpot corral...OK so there isn't an actual corral, but we do have some new Rangers! Who are they? Not sure what a Ranger is? Want to be a Ranger? Well this announcement answers many of your questions about Rangers.D.I.C.E. Summit and the AIAS Awards
A critically awesome event is happening in addition to the D.I.C.E. Summit. It's an event that features some amazing developer heavyweights and outstanding gaming talents. Who will be there? Some of the talent includes many of the visionaries behind games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Batman: Arkham City, Twisted Metal, and more. We'll also be checking out the Academy of Interactive Arts & Science Award Show! For the full schedule, check this link here.No "On the Spot" This Week
It's sad, of course. There will be no airing of On the Spot this week because most of our crew will be whisked away to the D.I.C.E Summit. But there will still be plenty of quality videos to check out.Activities This Week
Friday, February 10 is Umbrella Day. And to celebrate, we will be having some umbrella-themed trivia for you Resident Evil fans. Be sure to tune in again on Friday for this activity for a chance at prizes and an umbrella emblem!Only One Week Until the Resident Evil: ORC Tournament!
There's only one week left to sign up and get your FREE TICKET to GameSpot's Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City - First Line of Defence Tournament ticket. In addition to the tournament with a $750 prize pack, we'll have a makeup artist transform you into a zombie, as well as food, drinks, and of course a chance to play Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City! Check out this link for more details. -
Announcement: New Rangers Incoming!
Welcome the New Guys
We're going to start off this announcement by welcoming some of our newer Rangers to the team: 2ndWonder, Stevo_the_Gamer, and horgen123.
Who is already a GameSpot Ranger?
In addition to unveiling our newest Rangers, we'd like to give big shout-out to all of our GS Rangers, deershadow, dog64, ExoticAnimal, fabz_95, michaelP4, and RealKilla_789. These guys deserve a big round of applause.
What is a Ranger exactly?
What is a Ranger exactly?
*Teach users how to use the site.
* Report on existing issues directly to GameSpot members.
* Create activities and emblems for the community for various events.
*Act as "liaisons" to the community.Do Rangers report to Moderators?
Nope…well, not exactly. Some moderators lend a hand in the Rangers board but Rangers do not "officially" report to Moderators; they report to Staff.How do I become a Ranger?
The Ranger process is invite only, so it's all about who you know.What powers do Rangers have in the community?
The power of influence and persuasion! But seriously Rangers DO NOT have the same permissions as Moderators or Staff, meaning they cannot moderate, and they cannot sticky or un-sticky comments.So there you have it. If you stumble upon Rangers on GameSpot, maybe they can help you out! If you find them in the How to GameSpot forum, our friendly Rangers would be happy to show you how to use the site.
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Blog Bunker: Cherry Flavored!
The World of Games and Gaming
Building my Game: Janurary (AKA UDK on a budget of near zero) By: lim_ak
Mass Effect: First Impressions By: pokecharm
Me playing Vanquish By: Doomguard3
PC gaming and my Steam Account By: ad0234
The Darkness 2 and Kingdoms of Amalur By: raven28256
Complete Control By: Pierst179
Kingdoms of Amalur and Darkness 2 early impressions By: nocoolnamejim
I'm Going to GDC! By: Setho10
Call Of Duty Black Ops Zombie tips on how to survive. By: MrNightwing
Assassin's Creed Revelatons and the Kingdoms of Amalur Demo By: Rottenwood
Off the Radar
Top 5 Movies By: yoocon
Tribute By: -Saigo-
The 2012 Australian Open By: Yagr_Zero
Games, Deviantart and school By: koolkat14
Martha Marcy May Marlene - Film Review By: biggest_loser
Dungeons and Dragons 1 By: Xandoom
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GameSpot Event: Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City Tournament
Raccoon City has fallen to the T-virus and GameSpot's office will be celebrating the last Valentine's Day before the zombie apocalypse with a 32-player tournament in San Francisco and some bloody good fun. We are looking for players AND fans to check out the action.
- You must RSVP to attend the event.
- The first 32 players who RSVP and arrive at our office will be entered into the tournament.
- A $750 prize pack will be awarded to the winning team of four players. Prizes will also be given to the second- and third-place teams, along with prizes for best costume.
- Tournament play begins at 4:30 p.m., so please arrive no later than 4:00 p.m..
- You are more than welcome to bring a guest. Guests will be added to the stand-by gameplay list.
For more information or to get your ticket, simply click on this link here.
*Please note that due to the game title, you must be over 17 to attend the event. We will be checking IDs at the door, so make sure you have your ID.*
Can't make it to San Francisco? Don't fret. We will be streaming the tournament live on GameSpot.com.To help you get excited for this zombie Valentine, enjoy the Triple Impact Trailer for Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City.
Video is rated M for Mature 17+ for blood, gore, intense violence, and strong language. Enjoy! -
Reader Reviews: Honorable Edition
GameSpot's Top User Reviewers
To the Moon By: Pierst179
[7.5 - Good] What if things had happened differently?
Star Fox 64 3D By: JustPlainLucas
[8 - Great] A beloved classic, given a 3D make-over.
Battle City By: Gelugon_baat
[6.5 - Fair] Battle City is better than its predecessor, but it resorts to content recycling and relies on luck to provide challenge.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword By: Domstercool
[10 - Prime] To celebrate 25 years of Zelda, Nintendo has made one of the best games ever! My darkzero review.
Assassin's Creed: Revelations By: Bioshockraptor
[7.5 Good] A weaker story redeemed by an amazing presentation and the best action seen in the series; a good sequel but not great.
Dark Souls By: AzelKosMos
[9 - Supurb] My game of the year 2011.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves By: AK_the_Twilight
[9 - Superb] Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is a thrilling experience that delivers some of the most intense setpieces in modern gaming.
Battlefield 3 By: Garrison_Ford
[8.5 - Great] Battlefield 3 lives up to franchise expectations and continues to be a leader in the genre.
Alan Wake By: pokecharm
[8.5 - Great] The Darkness is no Match for Alan Wake and a Flashlight
Mad Dog McCree By: AQWBlaZer91
[3 - Bad] On the Mega CD Mad Dog's awful FMV Quality and simple Gameplay makes you want to avoid the town at all costs.
Honorable Mentions
X360
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 By: Steel_Rain777
[6.5 - Fair] Another year, another Call of Duty game. Modern Warfare 3, yet again does little to change up it's formula.
Gears of War 3 By: ar6ra6sh9
[10 - Prime] When third gear is the high speed!!!!
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim By: Iridescent406
[5.5 - Mediocre] A review from a HUGE fan of Bethesda.
PS3
Saints Row: The Third By: Cobra2525
[9 - Supurb] Witty, sexy, funny and wild. Saints Row: The Third packs one hell of a punch *May contain minor spoilers*
Dark Souls By: SaltyDoughnut
[9 - Superb] Dark Souls is a raw game. Accept its challenge and enter a brilliant world.
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception By: robertcain
[9 - Superb] Uncharted 3 is another excellent action game for the PS3, though it doesn't soar quite as high as the second entry did.
Wii / 3DS
Kirby's Return to Dream Land By: csward
[9 - Superb] The best Kirby game since Kirby's Super Star.
Mario Kart 7 By: waZelda
[9 - Superb] The evolution continues
Super Mario 3D Land By: bomberfan14
[8.5 - Great] Super Mario 3D Land adds the simple and joyous fun that was missing from the 3DS library
PC
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings By: csftar
[10 - Prime] This Game is…. is Difficult to Describe
L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition By: andrei_dmny
9.5 - Superb] My expectations were high and still they were surpassed. It is an instant classic that I highly recommend.
Unstoppable Gorg By: Ravenhoe
[6 - Fair] A tough difficulty level makes this a very rough experience, but the quirkiness and attention to detail make it fun.
Want your review featured in our Community News? Think you've got the right stuff? Think you're a witty writer or a savvy Spotter? Send a PM to Synthia for your chance to be featured.