Episode 462: Nerd Rage

Jonah discusses his renewed views of Mass Effect: Andromeda after his long, long rant last week. It fits in with the theme of nerd rage in the news items, as well as some new games coming out. TJ and Scott talk about the games they’ve been enjoying in the past week as well, as the latter is burning through Pillars of Eternity so he can play Torment: Tides of Numenera and the eventual Pillars of Eternity II.

This week’s news includes:

  • Planescape: Torment 4K remaster comes out April 11
  • First Star Wars Battlefront 2 trailer dated for April
  • World of Warcraft has changed how enemies scale, and players are very angry
  • Destiny 2 officially announced, teasing the fall of The Last City

Let us know what you think.

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Gaming Podcast 140: Cookie CutterGaming Podcast 140: Cookie Cutter

This week we’re pulling a 2-person shift while Don is away being sick and tired. We substituted his astute comments with extra epic insight… okay, we just did as best as we could without him. We flash back to Venture, we do an audio review of Zuma’s Revenge and we kicked it free style with some news:

  • podcast-200x200Halo: ODST Reviews are in
  • Turbine working on an MMO for the console
  • Price Cuts boost sales, initially, but not over the long term
  • Infinity Ward Responds to Gearbox … sort of
  • Red Octane considering Natal controls

This week’s question of the week, can big companies still innovate with new games?

Wii Punch-Out!Wii Punch-Out!

Nintendo has announced the continuation in a series that started in 1984 known as Punch-Out!! for the Wii. Once upon a time we all got to pop coins into Punch-Out!!, later we were able to power on our NES and play Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! or, if you’re younger, the version of Punch-Out!! with Mr. Dream (since Tyson’s contract expired with Nintendo and he wasn’t the champion anymore).

At Nintendo’s press conference today they announced Punch-Out, Another Code, Dynasty Warriors and Sins & Punishment 2. Although Dynasty Warriors sounds like it might simply rock on the Wii, Punch-Out really digs down into the history of Nintendo and brings back one of the older franchises.

Perhaps Nintendo is hoping Punch-Out will provide proof they’re serious about the franchise titles on the Wii console. Gamers have been skeptical considering they’re getting one (real) Mario and one Zelda game every few years. Many of us buy Nintendo for their popular mascots and to relive some of the nostalgia of being a kid. Punch-Out may definitely bring back some Nostalgia.

Hopefully, Punch-Out stays true to the original series and is designed to utilize the Wii controller better than Wii Sports Boxing.

(Thanks, Kotaku)

PopCap’s Bejeweled Franchise Hits 25 Million Units Sold MarkPopCap’s Bejeweled Franchise Hits 25 Million Units Sold Mark

Congratulations to PopCap for showing why casual games will always be a viable market. Let’s put this in perspective, investors believe GTA IV will push 13-million sales by the end of 2008 and, as of January 2008, Halo 3 had sold 8 million copies. PopCap’s little casual game has hit 25 million units sold, that’s fairly impressive considering these blockbuster titles haven’t achieved such numbers.

You may say “well, these titles sold 3+ million in the first week, what about Bejeweled?” True, Bejeweled probably didn’t hit 3 million in a week, but which game will still be played in 2010? Bejeweled or GTA IV and Halo 3?

Casual games age well, they’re not competitive on the graphic space and, instead, focus on fun value. Fun value is a lasting appeal and is immortal in the time line of video games. The same reason people still find fun in Pac-Man gamers still find cash to pickup their copies of Bejeweled.

Which game had the smallest budget? Bejeweled or GTA IV? We’re pretty sure PopCap did not give the bejeweled team $100-million to make it! Investors take notice, casual games have a long lasting appeal.

Read on for full press release details.

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