This double stuffed episode makes up for last week’s week off, even without Paul in the podcast.
The news covers the following items:
They then covered the top stories of the year, which leads to the Question of the Week, “What was the biggest news item in 2012?”
This week includes a Gaming Flashback about the sticky puzzle game World of Goo, which was one of the first games released without DLC — which is one of the main themes running through this podcast: videogame obsolescence. The guys also discuss James Gunn’s work on Lollipop Chainsaw and speedrun cheating.
The news for the week includes:
All this and Listener Feedback.
Only one more episode til the landmark episode that will see Paul ending his tenure as a regular podcast host in this lengthy episode after the week off. The banter is so off the charts, over an hour had to be cut and will be available in a future outtakes episode – as Paul and Scott agree to do a special Dr. Who episode in the near future too. Oh, and Jonah lost his day job.
The news this week includes:
We need listener feedback for Paul’s goodbye next episode, so write in and let us know what you remember most about Paul!
The latest news on the Rock Band 2 front covers the instruments and a few confirmed song tracks. There have been rumors flying around the Internet about the “leaked song tracks” for the next release with absolutely no confirmation. Now, however, we have solid proof on some tracks and some equipment changes.
First, all instruments are backwards compatible. That’s key to the success of Rock Band because fans of the original ponied up a lot of bones to grab themselves the original Rock Band kit. However, there is an incentive to upgrade your equipment in some regards.
If you like the original Rock Band guitar you’re going to love the new one if only for the color updates, wood grain and actual look and feel of a real guitar not a “toy.” As you’d expect (or hope) the new guitar will be wireless, finally, and will have a sturdy strum bar with even quieter buttons. Wireless alone is a great selling point but quiet buttons is important for folks like me who play the guitar like it was a jackhammer and can easily interrupt the drummers concentration during a difficult set.
The drum kit has been improved as well, with a re-enforced foot pedal to avoid the ease of breaking the plastic “toy” version of Rock Band original. As a person who’s busted up their drum petal and forked out cash on eBay for a wood solution, this is more great news. The drum kit will also be wireless which is great for those of you, like myself, who have kids that run through your line of site or dance while you’re playing. Nobody likes their Xbox 360 being flung off the shelve due to tripped cords.
The drum kit will have quieter pads and a velocity sensor; again, your old kit is still usable without these enhancements but the desire to upgrade if you’re a dedicated fan will be high.
The song tracks currently confirmed:
This is a great indication to where Rock Band 2 is going, mixing up a great selection of artists with classic hits like Anyway You Want It and Pinball Wizard to newer late generation X music like Give it Away and Chop Suey. Talented artists like Dream Theater are sure to keep Rock Band 2 a challenge to all gamers.
Other great improvements being a World Tour mode now accessible online and the removal of the “Band Leader” concept which always locked you into an instrument once you created a band.
NOTE: Xbox 360 will have a timed exclusive on Rock Band 2, arriving later in the year for the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3.
Checkout the full feature set so far explained at Kotaku.
That one guy saying ps2 had “no good games” is an idiot, i never played shadow of the Colossus or ICO but i now own them on PS3 and know they are regarded as great, I like Killzone on PS2 for that system for it’s specs. however metal gear solid 2 killed it in its day and MGS 3 was considered great. Ratchet and clank and Jak and daxter games started on PS2 as well as Killzone. Red Faction got it’s start on PS2. I thought Twisted metal black was a solid game. Game cube and Xbox offered unique gameplay ie resident evil remake and prequel and mario and friends for Gamecube and poopy fps games for Xbox other than halo and fable being it’s little too late good game, also jade empire and KOTOR were overlooked by some. But i think when you consider Gamecubes weak start, and Xbox’s weak start and lack of solid games, they will think fondly of when PS2 was there main system for even just a little while, and smile with a fond memory.
Their** main system
Also the devil may cry series, it had a co op resident evil game i always wanted to play but never did (4 player zombie co op ahead of it’s time) it had wipeout i believe but i never played till psp. It’s a good racing game. It had some crash bandicoot games thatr were decent platformers, and some good 3rd party support (that should be a joke it had huge 3rd party support but def some crap games in there). But def some “gems” too, like the onimusha series which i wish they would remake in hd, cuz i only played the first one(was a broke kid)
@PS2 stops shipping
It is far from the end of the PS2. When I was leaving Russia in 2004, the top consoles there were PS1 and Sega MegaDrive. PS2 was priced above anyones budget and it was impossible to find one in stores. On the other hand, UK had Xbox, PS2 and Gamecube. Therefore, I expect that PS2 will stop officially selling in 1st world places, but move on to BRICKs. China still stamps out Sega MegaDrives for sale in the ex-soviet states.
@WWE
I stopped caring for WW games. They were so cool in the PS1 days of Smackdown. But eventually evolved into FIFA style year-on updates. It’s just not the same anymore.
@QOTW
To be honest, none of stories look that big to me. Nintendo made a disappointing launch of the new generation. Racism and Sexism in a gaming industry where 90% of leading characters are white men. Some people I never heard of left. Some companies I never cared for shut down. If I am to choose one, I will go for PS2 breathing it’s Japanese last. A golden era of gaming is coming to a close. A time when games were unique and innovative. It will be missed.
@PS2 stopped shipping in Japan:
RIP ps2, you had an awesome run!
@QOTW:
i think that 2012 was not that big for gaming industries, with the recovery from the recession and stuff, it was relatively a slow year. new halo, new cod, the only 2 things that got my attention was borderlands 2 and battlefield 4 announced.
and of course, the THQ’s bankurrupcy (please correct)
… and I’m back from my almost internet-less vacation.
@Sony stops shipping PlayStation 2 in Japan and @Arthur V
I think it is the last breath for the console. Sure, current owners will still play their games, heck Cry is doing a let’s play for Haunting Grounds, so PS2 gaming will continue. But not for long. The death spiral starts when people stop developing for it, and I think this started earlier.
As for letting go of old hardware, dunno. Nostalgia does play a part, at least for consumers; I mean there are no other costs for owning an old console, so unless you want to raise some money or free some space, why ditch it?
@WWE may not get $45M owed by THQ for license
Meh, not a fan of those games. But THQ bankrupt? Man, I guess I have been living under a rock. Just went through the news, apparently the judge denied the bankruptcy plan.
In the light of that then yeah, I guess what Dan said is right, the Humble Bundle was a desperate ate attempt to get some money.
As for games published by a bankrupt THQ and with support of crowd funding, I would love to see how THAT would pan out in case the judge rules on denying the bankruptcy and auctioning the assets of the company …
Oh, apparently the assets will be sold title by title after all …
@QOTW: the bankruptcy of GSC Games, Ukraine.
The first game I played from them was Codename: Outbreak, and I was impressed by it despite its minor flaws. The STALKER games were also dear to me, and were proof that Outbreak was not a fluke.
I was excited by the announcements of STALKER 2, and in my eyes the company was golden.
Then they announced they went bankrupt.
Anyway, I think I know what will be the biggest news in 2013-2014: PS Vita and WiiU sales fail to meet expectations. Oh wait, this already happened … silly me …