Gaming sales strategy 101

Xbox 360 sales are still soaring in Japan. For the third week in a row it has outsold the PS3, and its sales have gone up exponentially all over the world [article here]. Well some of the sales are most likely due to its vast superiority over the PS3, the full reason is: skimpily dressed attractive Asian booth babes. Microsoft equipped their booth babes well: bootyshorts, and a stomach revealing top, all in the xbox 360 colours.
Nah, these attractive boothbabes aren't the only reason the 360 is selling the like Nintendo DS, but it sure as hell helps!

However Microsoft isn't the only company that have skimpily dressed boothbabes, much of the TGS (Tokyo Game Show) has those. Pictures of some of the skimpier ones below (try and guess their companies):

The Sillier Side of Gaming.

Just because its rated "E for everyone" doesn't mean its a bad game. Two of this type of game have just been announced. Loco Roco 2 and Patapon 2 were announced. If you don't know of either of these games Patapon is a game where you play "Patapon's" god, and you command them by tapping out a rhythm (like x, x, o) on the PSP. They hunt, they battle dragons, and they sing. Loco Roco is a game where you play as the planet, and you use the L and R bumpers to fling little blobs around, so you can get more of them and get them to the end of the level. Both are an amazingly fun time.

Loco Roco 2 seems like not a whole lot has changed, more loves, more Rocos, and more fun. [Screenshots Here]

Patapon 2 however has gotten a pretty large update. In the first game you had to link up your beat to get "fever" making you Patapon's more effective in combat and such, however you only had to keep it consecutively going or you lost your combo; this was incredibly hard. Now if you mess up you get 2 chances, and the second time it gives you a greater visual prompt, if you fail then your back to normal 'ol Patapons. There is also a multiplayer element to them game! So you can go out and play Patapon 2 with your friends!

Nothing Says "I Love You" Like a Whole Lotta Gaming News.

Once again its another big day for a lot of news.

First up the new Fire Emblem game was announced. For anyone who doesn't know this was a handhelded based Tactics/Strategy (of the same style as Final Fantasy Tactics), there was one that was released for the Nintendo Wii last year; however this version just wasn't the same, its hard to enjoy a tactics game when your limited to at home play. Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon will once again be returning to the handheld, on the DS. While it isn't a huge improvement on graphics, its still a Fire Emblem game, which means its going to rock. There is also a Wi-Fi wireless mode that will allow you to use one of your units (or a team) and battle players around the world. All in all, it sounds pretty awesome. [More Reading]

Dead Rising: Chop Till Ya Drop, exclusively for the Nintendo Wii. Now I'm a pretty large Dead Rising Fan, who doesn't love spending 72 hours in a mall with zombies, while trying to rescue survivors and being frank west, ace journalist? The Nintendo Wii, that's who. In this game there isnt a camera function - which on the 360 allowed you to whip out your camera and snap pictures - for poor old Frank West. Im interested how they're explaining a journalist not using a camera. Also because its on the Wii there is a significantly less number of zombies, it just can't handle it. So "chop till you drop" becomes "oh look... 3 zombies....". They also took out the time limit that Dead Rising had. Apparently MANY players disliked the fact that you had a limited amount of time to complete missions, rescue survivors, kill zombies, and get outta the mall - you know... the realistic stuff. "Chop till you drop" seems to refer to what the game creators did to the original Dead Rising to make this Wii version - chop out as much as they could, till they're index fingers got tired. [The image used is from Dead Rising for the 360, and then someone photoshopped it]

The newly announced "Legendary" is looking like its going to be a pretty cool game. Not much has been announced but a list of the achievements and screenshots are now up on the Internet. [If you get the pun with the picture I used for this section, get outside a little bit more often]

This is the section where we get a little naughty... just a little. Now everyone can see how the Wii could be abused in the very sexual, and very dirty sense. Well, two University students did just that. They made "Dark Room Sex Game" and its a two player game for the Wii where you and your partner have to swing your controllers in specific motions simultaneously to achieve orgasm. Yup, its that kind of fun abuse of a system's abilities. [Interview with the creators and a couple videos]

Ah yes... World of Warcraft... the game that I have officially given up... yet it still taunts me. The technical specifications of the new expansion coming out, Wrath of the Lich King, were just announced. While they're still incredibly low, they still are just a bit higher then the Burning Crusade - meaning the Lich King is going to look slightly prettier. [Specs Here]

Even though I hate it, it is still sadly part of gaming news, which means I shall briefly talk about the PS3. As it would seem the PS3 will still be the most expensive of the systems this Christmas. For some reason, known only to them (or the people who actually read more then just the title of the article), Sony has decided to keep the PS3 at its current price.

To the Metro Batman! In Washington DC there are now massive Fallout 3 posters all over the Metro (you know... the cooler name for the subway). This space is normally reserved for graffiti, AIDS, and movie posters, but Fallout 3 has a special place in the metro - and my heart.

Ever been on youtube and seen a video for a song you found you really liked? or a game that looked amazing? Of course you have, and you've always gone " I'm going to download that I would totally like to purchase that... next time I'm near a store...", then you realise before you get to said store "nah, I don't REALLY need this". Well now youtube makes it so you will buy that song/game before that voice of sense kicks in. You will soon be able to buy videos and songs right off youtube! Well as much fun as that sounds, I don't really see it being used all that much.... [more on it here]

Youtube... taking its hits from xkcd?

Earlier today, while randomly searching out stupidity on youtube (I know... its not too hard to find, especially in the "Halo" areas) I found quite the interesting new feature. Its called "Audio Preview" and it reads the comment your about to post, back to you. As soon as I saw this, I thought "xkcd comic" and laughed (the comic to the left).

Below is a screenshot of this little clickable feature. The video I found this feature on was "Master Chief is Black" or something like that. So of course, stupid comments aplenty. However I didn't leave any comments on the video, I decided to get out before I exceeded the comment limit at least twice (on youtube you can only post 3 comments, then you have to type in a verification). So I nicely included them in the screenshot.

[you'll probably have to click on the image to see it to its fullest]

Today in Articles - Video games... and books?

It has been said that video games are turning kids away from books, increasingly so. Why would they read a book, when they can just see the world and interact in it themselves? Well several authors are now attempting to do it the other way around; Get kids playing video games, and make them read a book. To do this they have designed some web based game (there is a Brisingr web game), and some video games, that make kids progress further by reading the book the game is based on. As a concept, trying to get kids to read books, by using video games is a pretty interesting idea. However, the average video game (with subtitles) contains more words then a 300 page novel! Either way, video games are permoting literacy.

More about getttings kids back to books [here].

I have a Halo, You have a Halo.

Even though I'm not really a Halo fan (well... I liked Halo 1. However Halo 2 was a total let down, and Halo 3 is one of those super-overhyped-little-twelve-year-old's-obsession kinda games. When the game is built around multiplayer and the only people you find on XBL is a horde of immature bastards... it kinda degrades the games.) the first 3 Halo books were quite good, and enjoyable. However when it came to Ghost's of Onyx I didn't end up getting much further then 20 pages. Halo is one of the series that can't seem to keep one writer, so quality changes quite frequently. There was also a fifth novel, but without having read the fourth one there was no point in reading number five.

However there is this new one, once again written by a different author. It's set to come out November 25th. Even though I haven't read the other two that come before this, I'm kinda digging the cover art, and it might just entice me to go and read them so I can pick this one up.

Tales of.....?

A while back there was a contest on Kotaku. Whomever could make the best Tales of ____ Game cover would with a copy of Tales of Vesperia. There were many, many entries and several were pretty funny, they're posted below, along with the winner.

[top left]"So your telling me, you all have AMNESIA?!" "Umm.... we forget"
[top right] I almost voted for this one, it would have been my choice, if the one that won hadn't showed up.





















[Bottom Left] Sure there are some funky colours, but its still spaceballs, and still funny. [Bottom Right] its ok... this one took me a bit as well

and now the one that won my vote, AND the contest:

This Month in Games.

Ahhh... October, the sun is shining, the leaves are following, kids are preparing for Halloween... and you can feel your wallet getting smaller and smaller. There are a lot of games coming out in October alone, and some of which are large releases.

October Releases:

1. Blitz the League II (360, PS3) - Oct. 13
   Football game, so if your into that type of game, be excited. If your not, well that's $60 you save (your gonna need it).
   
2. Saint's Row 2 (360, PS3, PC) - Oct. 13
   'Gangsta Music, 'Gangsta story, supposed to be amazing.
   
3. Populous (DS) - Oct. 13
   Yup, its a remake of that old PC game.
   
4. Golden Axe: Beast Rider (360, PS3) - Oct. 13
   Apart from a sexy female main character I think this one is a pass.
   
5. Dead Space (360, PS3, PC) - Oct. 14
   Futuristic Space Sci-fi/Horror game. Its like F.E.A.R. meets Resident Evil 4. Really looking forward to this one.
   
6. Rock Revolution (360, PS3, Wii) - Oct. 14
   Everyone remembers Guitar Hero and Rock Band right? Well... this is another one of those... just a lot crappier.
   
7. Sam and Max: Season One (Wii) - Oct. 14
   ..../no comment...
   
8. SOCOM: Confrontation (PS3) - Oct. 14
   More SOCOM action...
   
9. FIFA Soccer 2009 (Multi) - Oct. 14
   Yay for soccer, however considering most of the teams are UK oriented, I feel it would be better to call it "FIFA Football".
   
10. Rock Band 2 (PS3) - Oct. 20
    Wait... didn't the 360 already get this? Yeah... we did? Oh... well then.... sorry Sony... at least you FINALLY got it... at least its not Guitar Hero...
    
11. Midnight Club: Los Angeles (360, PS3) - Oct. 20
    Racing fun in LA, if your into it, this should be good, if you arn't well then save another $60.
    
12. Wii Music (Wii) - Oct. 20
    Everyone remembers M. Night Shyamalan at E3? Well if you don't this was the game he flailed around like a drunk on.
    
13. LittleBigPlanet (PS3) - Oct. 21
    LittleBigDisappointment. By that I mean it should have come to the 360.
    
14. Fable 2 (360) - Oct. 21
    If you don't already know about it... die in a fiery pit of satanic fire google it and play the first game. Its going to be pretty damn awesome. Instead of it being typical RPG style - quest to get money - you now get money by doing jobs (REAL jobs, like a real person) such as a blacksmith, lumberjack, etc.
    
15. Farcry 2 (360, PS3, PC) - Oct. 21
    Farcry... (I've got nothing good or bad to say here...)
    
16. Spiderman: Web of shadows (Multi) - Oct. 21
    Yes... because Tobey McGuire didn't screw Spiderman up enough already....
    
17. Bioshock (PS3) - Oct. 21
    Awe wittle PS3 finally got one of the best games ever. Thats 2k taking pity on the small amount of people who were stupid and bought a PS3.
    
18. Legendary (360, PS3, PC) - Oct. 21
    A FPS in which you battle creatures in a city that were released from Pandora's Box. This seems like one of those games you hope to borrow of someone else.
    
19. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (DS) - Oct. 21
    Its Castlevania, OF COURSE ITS GOING TO ROCK.
    
20. Guitar Hero World Tour (Multi) - Oct. 26
    Oh! Another guitar hero, how wonderful....
    
21. MotorStorm: Pacific Rift (PS3) - Oct. 28
    Vroom Vroom....
    
22. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (PC)- Oct. 28
    Its coming to the PC, where it should be, and im pee-my-pants excited. There might even be a cause to by this game.
    
23. Fallout 3 (PS3, 360, PC)- Oct. 2
    No doubt about it, this is going to be one of the best games launched this year.