Some of us display game collections on shelves, while others prefer shutting them away from the world (it’s for their own good, dammit). Luckily, for both overprotective and negligent hoarders, there’s a better balance provided by Game Case World.

On this very special episode of Press Pause Radio, we talk about the dangers of video game addiction. What happens when one more game or one more level spirals out of control and destroys relationships, jobs and other activities out of the virtual world? The crew will discuss this topic and more with the most responsible and well-adjusted person they know, the one and only Ballsrog. The gang-star of video games sits in on this episode and raps with the group about Skyrim, Mass Effect and how fat and stupid Dustin is. I believe that we are all in agreement on the last point, especially Toast. Thanks for downloading and listening to the show, please be sure to rate and review on iTunes and Zune so we can afford to pay off Ballsrog. He said he was going to fix our Xbox for us, too. I hope he comes back with those soon, last time we saw him he was at some company...

Well we have finally returned from our long holiday break with our first episode of 2012, or as we would like to call it, "The Twenty-Dozen". The entire gang is along for the ride as we talk about some of our disappointments from 2011, as well as catch up with our listeners in Select Feedback. The crew will then devote the remainder of the episode catching up and discussing what everyone played during the break. Join us as we talk over each other excitedly and Ser breaks the internet with his "God Voice". Don't forget to rate and review us on iTunes and Zune so we can reach more and more listeners, and follow us on all our various social sites to catch the latest updates.

Welcome one and all to the newest feature hitting Press Pause Radio. It’s been a long time coming, but I, Catie, the squid-loving, Camaro-stalking, sailor-mouth squawking transformer of the internet present “Life through the Pixel Glass,” or LTPG for short. My goal with this feature is to shine some light on the finer displays of artworks or music influenced by the video game culture. Whether it's a re-imagined creation, or muse of entirely new material, you’ll find me posting about it right here. With that said…

I have stated on several occasions that I am looking for the video game equivalent of a Pixar movie; something that can touch on many different emotions, without being overbearing or pretentious at all. Most video games have had sad moments, but unfortunately they mostly feel forced or fail at telling a heart wrenching story at all. Freebird Games must have been reading my letters, because To The Moon accomplishes everything that I’ve asked for and by focusing on what is important in any great tale, To The Moon has quite the story to tell.

Hey everybody! Here to ring in the new year of 2012, we bring to you our newest interview with independent developer and publisher Freebird Games with Head developer/president Kan Gao in the interview seat this time around. We’ll be interviewing them on their newest game To The Moon, and the development process that went into this charming game, as well as the future of Freebird games.

You guys can find the whole interview written here on the site or simply go listen to it in our podcast feed as a special New Year’s edition episode! Be sure to visit http://freebirdgames.com/ and try out the game yourself for free with its hour trial. Without further ado, here’s our interview!

There’s no denying it – with services like Steam and Xbox Games on Demand, video games head closer to an all-digital market each day.

Take Sony’s last portable failure as an example. The PSP Go was a sign of gamers waking up and realizing how they’re paying full price for less than half of an object. With most digital copies, you own nothing, and the publisher maintains the right to pull the plug whenever they see fit. Most gamers aren’t ready to completely let go of physical media… at least not on dedicated systems from companies like Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony. Sure, the iPhone is an all-digital handheld, but remember – everyone owns an iPhone, and most of the games are dirt cheap.

With another Christmas out of the way, some of you can finally sigh in relief. You've survived another year of potentially awkward family moments, and another season of unwanted socks, fruitcakes, and emotional roller coaster rides. Many of you will also get the chance to sit down and enjoy some of the gifts you received, including video games and consoles.

We have reached the end of another year, and now we at Press Pause Radio will reflect on perhaps one of the best years for video games as we bring to you our annual Top Ten Games of the Year! Each member of PPR has selected their top titles of the year and will gather at the figurative roundtable to discuss each selection. This is a longer episode but we hope that you'll enjoy the last episode of the year, perhaps when traveling to see family for the holidays or as you do some last minute shopping. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday, and expect more great things from Press Pause Radio in 2012! P. S. be sure to watch this amazing Snake Vs Zombie panel mentioned in this very episode!

Well there’s Donkey Kong... Mario, Link, and Zelda. You also have to count Fox McCloud, and even Captain Falcon. The man behind all of these beloved characters and their respective franchises is the legend Shigeru Miyamoto. This week during an exclusive interview on Wired’s Game|Life blog, Miyamoto discussed his interest in developing smaller independent games that he could focus on by himself. In the interview, however, what started as a quote from his playful banter in the office regarding his desire to step down from his current position at Nintendo turned into a misinterpreted nightmare to the world around him.

Trapped... Desmond Miles is trapped within his own fractured psyche, his mind, desperately at ends with distinguishing what’s real and what’s fantasy. Desmond takes the only course of action he can. He sets out to finish the story of Ezio Auditore da Firenze, who also picks up the trail of his legendary forerunner, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.

Enter the fourth entry in Ubisoft Montreal’s open-world action game, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. The epic conclusion of Brotherhood left many with an insatiable appetite to continue the fight and return to Ezio’s story, but does Revelation satisfy the hunger we’ve had?

Press Pause Radio has survived another holiday filled with crazy mobs of shoppers and an insane amount of game releases to give you an early gift, that we like to call Episode 51. The crew welcomes back Matt Jay from Snackbar Games as they attempt to go through another long list of What's In Your Console, including The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Assassin's Creed: Revelations and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim just to name a few. The group then discuss the advent, rise and potentially harmful future of downloadable content. Does DLC extend the experience of games that we have already conquered? Or is DLC just a way for developers to make more money and fix problems that should have been taken care of before the game has shipped? We will tackles these questions and more, just like shoppers tackle each other at Wal-Mart. Please rate and review us on iTunes or Zune, and give us an early Christmas present.

If you’re a Wii owner who’s lost faith in your console’s entertainment value, this game will make you waggle with pride one last time.

25 years later, with the release of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the classic RPG series still delivers fresh, worthwhile experiences, all while retaining a level of nostalgia diehard fans will adore. There are quests to complete, princesses to track down, and powerful villains to ... well, you’ll understand when you see the guy.]]>http://www.presspauseradio.com/presspauseradio/rss-comments-entry-13878877.xmlQCF ReviewsSideway New YorkSkullcandyIodineWed, 23 Nov 2011 23:25:54 +0000http://www.presspauseradio.com/presspauseradio/2011/11/23/qcf-sideway-new-york.html417550:4588524:13846544

Sideway New York is a highly stylized platformer by PlayBrains and Fuel Entertainment. The game launched as an exclusive on PSN back in October, and now PC owners can snag it from Steam for around $10.]]>http://www.presspauseradio.com/presspauseradio/rss-comments-entry-13846544.xmlBullet HeavenBullet Heaven HDGenesisGunstar HeroesPS3PSNSegaTreasureXbox 360Xbox Liverun & gunrun and gunrun-n-gunSer FlashTue, 22 Nov 2011 05:32:31 +0000http://www.presspauseradio.com/presspauseradio/2011/11/22/bullet-heaven-hd-episode-43-gunstar-heroes.html417550:4588524:13823924In this episode of Bullet Heaven, we review the series' first run-n-gun, and man, is it a classic! Get ready for Gunstar Heroes! As the legendary Treasure's first ever effort, can it shine as brightly as it did in 1993? Daeruna and I tackle it in HD on the PS3!

In the year 1994, Kevin Smith wrote, directed, produced, and even acted in one of the most successful and influential independent movies of modern film culture by the name of Clerks. A famous scene from the film involves the titular protagonists Dante Hicks and Randal Graves engaged in a heated debate over the morality concerning the explosion of the second Death Star caused by the rebel faction in Return of The Jedi, an entry from the revered Sci-Fi series Star Wars. The debate was over the politics concerning the needless death over hypothetical citizens that may have been independent contractors (off-screen and script mind you) working towards the reconstruction of the planet-killing vessel for the Empire, in what could have been the equivalent of a government sanctioned job in contrast to reality.

If you're like me, you're poor. You don't have enough cash to spread around as you'd like, and that often means, unfortunately, that games get the cut in favor of food, shelter or other essential commodities. But that doesn't mean you can't have hours of fun in front of your ten-dollar, 13" TV from the Salvation Army (or Goodwill, if you prefer.)

Warp Stars abound! The stage franticly opens up with our pink puff-ball hero rushing through the Dreamland-scape with strawberry shortcake in tow, and with Kirby’s company not too far behind. Suddenly, a fantastical galleon-like vessel bursts off course from its route of reverie to a sudden crash-landing against the grassy surface of Pop-star that would make Launchpad McQuack blush.

We've done it. We somehow survived and reached episode 50 of Press Pause Radio. And to celebrate we are returning with a three hour long show, as well as our first show with Couchbound Network. With so many games being released in the last few months, we spend the majority of the show discussing all of them. Ser, Sean, GeorgieBoysAXE and Toast will converse about titles such as Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Uncharted 3. The crew then debate on what makes a "Triple A" title, and if there have been too many blockbuster titles this year. Reaching fifty episodes is a great milestone for the website, and we are so happy to have shared it with you all. Rate and review us on iTunes and Zune so we can record fifty more.

At first glance, Dungeon Defenders seems like a tower defense game taken straight out of a children's fairytale. Young children training to emulate their warrior parents are the only line of defense between all the evil of Etheria and the Eternia crystals that will protect the kingdom. However, after our time with the latest release from Trendy Games, it was discovered that this is a very deep and complex hybrid, with controls and other issues that hold it back from being one of the best cooperative experiences this year.

Vicki Vale is on the scene with live coverage of Bruce Wayne’s campaign against Arkham City, a new super correctional facility utilizing the slums of Gotham into an urban prison under penal supervision. The press conference is abruptly interrupted by a covert seize and evade operation orchestrated by the new director of Arkham, Hugo Strange…but what could Strange possibly gain from imprisoning Bruce Wayne? Interference with his second life of course, and to Wayne’s chagrin, a fully cognizant action to put down the Batman.

Enter Rocksteady’s newest effort to continue the legacy of Batman in the realm of video games and to surpass all of the accolades that Arkham Asylum has earned and to advance the standard set for Superhero games. Just how far does the Bat grapple reach this lofty goal? Read on and find out.

The words of T.E. Lawrence slowly initiate the start to the latest caper of Nathan Drake. Alongside him is his best friend and patriarch, Victor “Sully” Sullivan. With a toss of his cigar against the gutters of London and its bustling nightlife, the two make headway for the beginning of their latest quest for glory. Naughty Dog has had their work cut out for them with follow-up of the critically acclaimed Among Thieves, and Drake’s Deception doesn’t pull any punches…in more ways than one.

I'm not the kind of person that takes to licensed games too often. On the whole, I've not bought any movie games or games based on TV shows, as they have shown to be awful, lackluster cash-in shovelware. Of course, there are very few exceptions; Treasure's Astro Boy: Omega Factor was one of the best games on the Game Boy Advance, TDK Mediactive took Robotech: The MAcross Saga and made a pretty bitchin' side-story  in Robotech: Battlecry and Capcom somehow managed to make Disney's The Little Mermaid both hardcore and awesome. The only problem? Most other developers have sort of forgotten that quality games are actually what people want to spend thier hard earned money on, even if it's not an entirely original IP that they came up with themselves.

As such, I approached the retelling of HG Wells' War of the Worlds With a special brand of apprehension; if TV and movie conversions are generally so bad, just how will a book - from 1898 no less - actually fare?
]]>http://www.presspauseradio.com/presspauseradio/rss-comments-entry-13609866.xmlAksys GamesFate/ExtraFate/night stayImageepochQCF ReviewsType-MoonSeandoodWed, 02 Nov 2011 01:46:03 +0000http://www.presspauseradio.com/presspauseradio/2011/11/1/qcf-fateextra.html417550:4588524:13559043

Imagine if everything you knew was a fabrication. No, I’m not going all “I’m Morpheus” on you. In Imageepoch’s Fate/Extra for the PSP, you’ll migrate from a primitive simulation, and closer towards... a more legitimate series of combat programs.

Confused? If not, then you’re probably a loyal Type-Moon fan who’s in for a treat.

On this very spooky episode of Press Pause Radio we overcome sickness and legitimate fear to discuss a classic in the survival horror genre, Fatal Frame. GeorgieboysAXE and Toast are joined by James Mielke, a personal hero to many on the show and a man who is so familiar with the Fatal Frame series, he even plays a small role in it's sequel. We will discuss the game in it's entirety, as well as discuss other conventions of the survival horror genre. This episode was a milestone for many of us here at Press Pause Radio, and we hope that you will enjoy it as well.

The newest episode of Press Pause Radio has landed on Earth, like Kal-El when he was rocketed from Krypton. And like Superman's alter ego Clark Kent, this episode is going to be extremely nerdy. This week we are discussing the flawed past, and hopeful future of super hero video games. The crew weighs in on what works, what does not work and which characters should be in their own game. Feel free to make your voice heard on our various social sites, or at our forums and nerd out with us. Please continue to rate and review us on iTunes and Zune so we can be downloaded faster than a speeding bullet. Thanks and enjoy! ]]>http://www.presspauseradio.com/presspauseradio/rss-comments-entry-13398919.xmlyesGames ClubPodcastShadow of the ColossusPress Pause RadioTue, 11 Oct 2011 17:02:15 +0000http://www.presspauseradio.com/presspauseradio/2011/10/11/ppr-games-club-icoshadow-of-the-colossus-collection-side-b.html417550:4588524:13159183

As promised, we are now flipping this over to Side B of the Press Pause Radio Games Club where we will discuss Shadow of the Colossus. Please remember that we will be discussing the entire game, spoilers and all. GeorgieBoysAXE is joined once again by Rob Rich and Serraxor, fresh off the debut of Bullet Heaven Season 3 as well as his brand new album, Bullet Heaven: The Original Tracks. Make sure to grab your copy and enjoy all the hits that have put Bullet Heaven on the map, along with some great bonuses.

Thank you for listening to our lastest Games Club, and if you have any suggestions or games you would like to see on the next Games Club, please hit up our forums or at any of our social websites. Don't forget to rate and review us on iTunes and Zune, so more people can hear us talk about video games and other nonsense.

In the last couple of weeks, I was able to play some early builds of up-and-coming games poised to take the public by storm when finished for their projected holiday release dates. All three betas focus on the multiplayer aspect, and give us a taste on whether or not they’re worth any investment of time or money in the future floodgate of software coming our way in October and November. I took it upon myself to play each offering and provide the insight on just how well they portray the expected performance on the final product.

So hopefully everyone knows how our Games Club works by now. We play through a game, and discuss it on the show along with your comments. However this time we are switching things up, by playing not one but two games. The recently released Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection on PS3 gives us the perfect opportunity to discuss some of the finest games ever released on the Playstation 2, now remastered in HD for the Playstation 3. So whether you are playing the original or the re-released version, we will discuss both in great detail. This week's show is Side A, where we discuss Ico. Please remember that this is a Games Club, and the entire game will be discussed. So play along and enjoy the show, and continue to play Shadow of the Colossus which will be recorded soon for next week's show.

Believe it or not, there was a time when every major video game system had two or three underdogs trailing behind. Regrettably, most of them vanished if they didn’t impress consumers or find their target audience. In some cases the library of titles for these consoles wouldn’t even exceed 40, and had very little -- if any at all -- support from third-party developers.

Though each had their own unique advancements, fan base, and contribution to the games industry, the following is a list of underrated gaming consoles that faded from the market.

As the light sets in, The Ultramarines, one of thousands of chapters within the rank of Space Marine are called into action to defend against the threat of an Ork invasion and uncover the motive behind their rampage. Its leader, Captain Titus, instills a solemn nod of confidence to the Space Marines under his command and leads them to the battle.

Space Marine is the newest attempt to branch the War Hammer 40,000 franchise beyond its table-top roots into another entry into the video game realm. Relic Entertainment tasked their efforts towards delivering an experience faithful to all who are loyal to War Hammer 40K, yet enjoyable enough to appeal to anyone unfamiliar with 40K’s expansive lore. But one question remains: have they succeeded?

Reviewing a classic like The Legend of Zelda can be difficult, mostly because everyone and their mother already played it. It’s really no different than a seasoned movie critic reviewing Gone with the Wind or Citizen Kane in front of a group of enthusiasts, who memorized these movies and their offerings when they were still in diapers. But like any experience, there are still points and reflections that can be made about them -- even if they might seem redundant to some.

In an effort to point out more tedious and painful moments in a seemingly perfect game, here are some thoughts that crossed my mind as I was enjoying the original Zelda (for the umpteenth time) on the 3DS.

Thanks once again to James Wells for reviewing Dead Island for the Xbox 360.

Ever since the now world famous trailer for Dead Island came from nowhere earlier this year, many gamers looked forward to this game with much skepticism and doubt on whether or not it could match the emotional levity of its trailer. I've seen the trailer, you’ve seen the trailer, and most likely Mrs. Heffernon, your neighbor with fourteen cats, has also seen the trailer. So does Dead Island live up to the hype? Or does this undead nightmare just shamble along the beach into obscurity?

Press Pause Radio escapes the limbo of corrupted audio files and damaged computers to deliver the newest episode of PPR! Along for the ride is our newest member to the team Dan, the man with possibly five or more nicknames. One of our good friends Matt, Patriot1030 from the WOFR Gaming Network also is able to join us at the last minute to complete the roundtable discussion. On this week's episode we discuss news and information from the Tokyo Game Show, including the Vita and Final Fantasy remakes. Our Featured Topic is a lively discussion about game pricing and the used video game market. This often heated debate gets turned up a few degrees as we explore all areas of the topic. Thank you to everyone for listening to the show, and for helping us reach over 200 fans on Facebook! We couldn't have done it without you!

Serious Sam lives in a very bizarre universe. Headless enemies with bombs for hands and time traveling is just another day for Sam "Serious" Stone. It would be nearly impossible to create a more insane story or concept.  As the latest offering in the Serious Sam series nears, Mommy's Best Game has made a tribute to the franchise that may even surprise the most hardcore Serious Sam fan. The indie darling that has developed such games as Shoot 1up and Weapon of Choice are a part of the Serious Sam Indie Series, and their contribution, Serious Sam: Double D is their latest release. Although the title may not seem like much to most Serious Sam faithful, it is the best work that MBG has released so far, and truly shines amongst other indie-developed games. The game, like Serious Sam himself may be rough around the edges, but is able to really deliver when it needs to.

It's been a wonderful couple of years for fans of retro video games, and I've personally played many exceptional 2D tributes dedicated to the classics of yesteryear. At the same time, however, many of these throwbacks never really challenged me. Don't get me wrong, we've had plenty of releases like Contra 4 and Hard Corps: Uprising, but these specifically cater to a group of masochistic fans who adore the punishment. Finally, after searching for a game with exceptional but not painfully challenging difficulties, BloodRayne: Betrayal came knocking on my door with the good word.

Disclaimer: No Juggalos were harmed in the recording of this podcast.

This episode of Press Pause Radio is brought to you by the one and only SeanDod, as well as his mustache. On this week's episode, we will discuss level design in video games. For decades video games have evolved and we have seen numerous technological breakthroughs. However the core element of level design has remained the same, and is the cornerstone of all video games. The crew will discuss this as well as news from Penny Arcade Expo and the Call of Duty XP Convention. 

If you're like me, then you enjoy making videos about the video games you play. Bullet Heaven is just one of the many video series I've been involved with revolving around my personal Game play style and interests.

I got into video editing in the summer of 2007. The idea was to create video blogs which, at the time, were very uncommon on the sites that I was a part of. My weapons of choice were a Sony Handycam Mini-DV camcorder with DV out, A Sony Cybershot 6 Megapixel digital camera with only 3X optical zoom, and all-important Pinnacle USB-710, which allowed for capture of 480p video through composite and S-Video inputs. It did its job admirably for four years, and has led to serise such as Press Pause Radio's own Bullet Heaven, which has been successful for two full seasons.

But the camera broke, the Cybershot is never charged and new, better capture devices are available to capture glorious high definition gameplay. It was time for an upgrade.

September 1^st marks the start of the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador program. The program was set into place after Nintendo dropped the price of the 3DS forty percent and made their loyal fan-base look like a bunch of dopes, but it makes efforts to accommodate early adopters with twenty free games. It seems yet again, however, that Nintendo has dropped the ball, and the program has already started off to a shaky start.

What if we told you there existed a game where you fly around the world without power-ups, carry gunners that shoot bullets Contra style, and explore puzzle-packed dungeons full of mysteries and revolutionary gameplay mechanics? We’re well aware of how crazy this sounds, which is why we decided to consult with D-Pad Studio about their latest creation titled Owlboy.

Press Pause Radio’s GeorgieBoysAXE and Seandood had the opportunity to interview D-pad members Simon Stafsnes Andersen and Jo-Remi Madsen, as they discussed Owlboy and D-pad's sources of inspiration, trials with the XNA development kit, and other wild facts that caused everyone to laugh simultaneously. We hope you grab a gun-wielding buddy and some wings -- as dangerous as this sounds -- while you sit back and enjoy the interview. You might also want some popcorn and a phone that dials 9-1-1.

Press Pause Radio does not condone or reccommend that any of our listeners let a PPR cast member babysit your kids. Episode 46 not only proves this, but also alienates fans of any age. This week will will touch on recent news from Gamescom as well as welcome a few friends to the show. We welcome the former host of Pixel Dreams Drew to the show, a long time friend and supporter of the show. Another great supporter of the show, Dan also joins us and brings some sanity to the recording.

Operation Rainfall stole plenty of headlines in the gaming world, and Press Pause Radio was no exception with our Summer of Nintendo article last week. Just recently the head of The Last Story’s Mistwalker studios, Hironobu Sakaguchi, also expressed his feelings about Nintendo’s reluctance to release this game in the US.

“I’m so sad about US,” he said on his Facebook page, shortly after posting that The Last Story was, in fact, coming to Europe.

Among my summer activities, one of my favorites happens to be exploring planets -- particularly ones that are insane, twisted, and shadowy. Luckily, in the past week I have been given the honor to prance through Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet to quench my midsummer’s gaming thirst, and I must say it is one of the most uniquely striking planets I have traversed in some time.

Relationships can be difficult; they can be frustrating, and take time and effort to be successful. This also describes the gameplay of Catherine, the first next generation title from the developers of the Persona series. Players take on the role of Vincent Brooks, a thirty-something who seems to be complacent in his relationship, and spends the majority of his time drinking at the bar with his friends. Though on one faithful evening, as Vincent is drowning in his sorrows, he meets someone who will send him on a downward spiral filled with nightmares, curses, sheep and blocks -- many, many blocks.

Are you finding yourself utterly disgusted from the sight of an apple? Have all those years of slipping on banana peels left you emotionally crippled? For all of you passionate carnivores out there, Half-brick has the game for you!

Fruit Ninja, the twenty million selling hit, has now landed on the Xbox 360. It also utilizes the Kinect, which has seen little or no support since its release last November. Half-Brick intends to change that trend, but the twenty million dollar question falls on whether or not Fruit Ninja Kinect is worth the investment.

As the screen fades out, a stranger’s voice greets you directly. A room then emerges with a boy who’s slumbering away, completely unaware of what lies ahead of him. In the child’s nap his world has ended, and his residence crumbles around him. The kid has only one priority ahead of him in the catastrophic after-math: Enter Supergiant Game’s Bastion, the action-RPG kicking off Xbox’s Summer of Arcade.

Whether you’re a fan or not, you have to give Nintendo some well deserved credit for remaining such a hot topic after 25 years. In the early days, it was all about lawsuits against competing companies like Atari, and struggling to make innovative creations that would carry them to the top. Today it’s all about making sure those devices remain popular while loyal fans stay satisfied -- or so we thought.

Many of Nintendo supporters aren’t getting what they want, and Nintendo’s latest console isn’t doing extremely well. Given the facts, we arrive at two highly significant topics that recently dominated headlines: Operation Rainfall and the 3DS already getting a hefty price slash.

Recently, Hiromichi Tanak (Final Fantasy XI's former lead designer and producer of Final Fantasy XIV) informed Famitsu that Square Enix is considering making the PS Vita the next platform for its long running MMORPG, Final Fantasy XI. Initially, I was very happy to hear this news; I have been a sporadic player of the ongoing online adventure for years and a handheld alternative seemed like the perfect fit. However the more I daydream about this match made in Heaven, I am starting to realize that it is really a terrible accident just waiting to happen.

The East vs. West developers debate is a heated discussion no doubt. There are so many sub categories that either side can extrapolate and pick to death.  However when it comes right down to it, I believe the differences go back to culture.

During our coverage of PAX East 2011 we interviewed Jay Stuckwisch from Twisted Pixel about their upcoming Xbox Live Arcade release Ms. Splosion Man. Due to poor audio quality the interview was not featured on that podcast. On the eve of the game's release, we at Press Pause Radio would like to take a look back at our time with the developer as we discuss broken controllers, Jetsons cars and explosions. Enjoy!

 “ALL THE SPIDERS!!!!”

Dungeon Siege has been a staple series on the PC for more than a decade. Although some would consider this series a “poor man’s Diablo”, the series -- for the most part -- has been a solid loot whoring experience with gratifying combat and hours of goodness packed into each installment. The series was always a dependable way to scratch that loot whoring itch between Diablo releases. The third entry keeps the streak going but falls short of greatness.

Welcome one and all to our Indie extravaganza! On this episode of Press Pause Radio we are taking a special look at the some of the best indie developers in the game industry, as well as the people that support the independent community.

Did you like what you saw today? Rate! Like! Share! Comments, Questions and Suggestions are not only welcome, but encouraged!

Excuse me, I’m sorry for the awkward introductory sentence but I just can’t get over the twisted irony of this review being as late as it is and this twisted fucking paradox just keeps getting funnier and funnier as I think about it. Alright well are we both done chuckling? Good.

The stage is brightly lit, almost as if it were extracting all light within the conference center, and leaving the audience with anticipation that's dense as the dark surrounding them. A voice then welcomes the crowd, as the theater above suddenly illuminates with the Xbox logo. The presentation immediately transitions to business, with one of the most anticipated sequels of the year being demonstrated to the conference attendees, and kicking off the forum of upcoming releases for Microsoft’s catalog of 2011.

Did you like what you saw here today? Comments, questions and suggestions are not only welcome but encouraged!

Tuesday morning was quite a treat for audiences everywhere, as Nintendo's 2011 E3 conference kicked off with an orchestrated montage celebrating The Legend of Zelda and its 25th anniversary. With a bold and cheerful smile, Shigeru Miyamoto set foot on the stage, expressing how wonderful it was to share over 25 years of these memories with the entire world. With the assistance of his translator, he then discussed the significance and impact of music in the Zelda franchise, followed by claims that Skyward Sword -- Link's latest appearance on the Wii -- would be available during the holidays.

This was an exceptionally strong way for Nintendo to lead off, but how solid was their overall conference? Did the big N offer us everything we expected them to this year, or did they unfortunately fall short?

Going into this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, Sony had everything to lose. With the recent Playstation Network outage still very fresh in many people’s minds, as well as a lack of information and excitement for their next handheld device, Jack Tretton took the stage to excite the audience for the next wave of Playstation exclusives and products. From my point of view, I believe they did just that and even more.

During the E3 2006 press conference, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata talked about the WiiConnect24 feature, saying that "The Wii console can be constantly connected to the internet. For you hardcore gamers, this means developers can push a new weapon or vehicle or level to you even while you sleep.”

Later on, during an interview with Nikkei Business Publications, Iwata floats the idea again with the statement that “This would allow Nintendo to send monthly promotional demos for the DS, during the night, to the Wii consoles in each household.”

However, only fifteen disc based titles and six WiiWare games have taken advantage of WiiConnect24. The last game to use the service was Metroid Prime Trilogy released back in August of 2009; that’s not to account for the message board and a few channels that still employ WiiConnect24 for the up to the minute data. As a game content delivery service, it has been forgotten.

A YouTube video with the news broadcast mentioning Portal 2, and the controversy involved with a questionable quote from the game has officially gone viral, with over 200,000 views following its upload to the site on May 18. The conflict in question originated from North Carolina, where Neil Staple and his 10-year-old adopted daughter were simply playing the game, as they came across a savagely hilarious taunt ("Fatty... fatty fatty, no parents") from a robot antagonist in the game. Staple viewed this as a direct insult to adopted children and adoptive parents everywhere, claiming how this kind of dialogue was completely uncalled for, even though he and his daughter had enjoyed the rest of the game.

There are many questions that come to mind when addressing the promise of new hardware from Nintendo. Rumors have already circulated the promise of horsepower that surpasses the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, along with fully integrated touchscreens within the controller, a fully established online platform capable of seamless social interaction, and multiplayer experiences without the use of cumbersome friend codes. However, beyond all of the pledges of incredible grandeur, Project Cafe may be Nintendo's first full embrace on the concept of next generation technology, which can meet more than halfway with their drive to innovate.

With leaked concept art being flooded throughout the month of April, it wasn't long before information needed to be divided between probable facts and pure speculation. Following an additional price drop on the Wii and a budget price drop on select first-party releases, Nintendo played coy to all of the gossip until April 25. Project Cafe was not only confirmed, but was also promised to have playable demo units at the 2011 E3 conference in June, as well a planned launch in 2012. Hardware specifications were first revealed to IGN, as they chronicled Intel regarding an AMD R700 GPU Architecture, 1080p HD visuals and stereoscopic 3D capabilities; these were among the greatest highlights reported on Project Cafe's technical details. The most interesting aspect regarding Project Café would be the controller, reminiscent of what the Wiimote did for the Wii. A controller boasting a six-inch touchscreen interface has opened up deluded comparisons to a Dreamcast controller, but really the first comparison that comes to mind would be functionality that Nintendo has already soaked their hands with in the past.

Remember when game covers weren't as uniform as they are today? There was once a time when every developer had their own design theme, and when cover art was somewhere between the literal definitions of "art" and "garbage." With over 700 titles to choose from in its hit-and-miss library, the NES was notorious for harboring many of these unique design themes, quite possibly containing more variations than any other system. In the years to follow, game companies began transitioning to a more conventional form of cover presentation, usually making sure every single game box (excluding "greatest hits" editions) looked almost exactly alike.

Let it be known that Press Pause Radio is very two-dimensional, and because of that we are discussing 2D gaming on this week's episode. Nice segue, I know. 2D gaming has been a mainstay on every console since the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System and shows no signs of slowing down. We will delve into this topic as well as discuss new releases such as Bangai-O HD Missle Fury, Portal 2, Hot Springs Story and complain about the PSN downtime.

The ‘external intrusion’ that caused Sony to yank the Playstation Network and resulted in the data theft of over 77 million customers is a major inconvenience to say the least. Precautionary steps such as canceling credit cards, changing passwords, and monitoring reports have become a priority with those fearful of identity theft. Online gamers have either moved on to other game networks or are stuck in a waiting rut. In the worst cases YouTube videos have been posted where children sulk and throw their Playstation 3 in the garbage.

Members of the gaming community are well aware of the recent events surrounding Sony's PlayStation Network (PSN) and its failure to protect consumer data. Because of this, the public might become a little more wary of digital transactions.

In the past decade, more companies have shifted towards digital distribution. It makes your favorite games easier to buy, while offering opportunities for smaller developers to also publish games. Services like Steam -- possibly the best example of "correct" digital distribution to date -- also allow online shoppers to receive great discounts on many popular titles. Unfortunately, in other cases, it's also giving some publishers and developers more control than most consumers want them to have. Some of the personal requirements are also ridiculous, making it mandatory for users to input vital information if they wish to obtain and download software. 

Whether you're a hardcore gamer or casual player, it's not hard to spot that the gaming medium has an abundance of military shooters, new and old alike. Same weapons most of the time, same options and always the exact same desert like scenery, always meant to reflect the stages of modern warfare (no reference intended) we find ourselves involved with as a planet. These repeated combat scenarios -- though still highly entertaining to most -- still leave many of us to ask, where has the classic futuristic shooter gone?

On the exterior, De Blob 2 is a platformer with a twist. Instead of simply getting from point A to point B, you have to paint things along the way to advance. It is mostly 3D, but it throws in a couple sections of 2D platforming in each stage to be trendy, and there are power ups that can be leveled up to add extra gameplay “depth.”

But buried beneath the mostly cookie cutter gameplay of De Blob 2, is an incredibly addictive musical feature. Each color in De Blob has a different distinct “sound” or instrument giving the game a brilliant synesthesia experience. As you traverse the environments and paint the town red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, and brown each instrument joins into the melody resulting in the gradual composition of a funky tune. For example, painting a bench the color red will create a groovy trumpet solo over the underlying melody. Or splattering a building with brown produces a cool DJ record scratch. It is simple, yet addicting. You begin with a quiet and empty black and white city canvas and slowly, everything you touch is brought to life with color and sound.

What irritates a gamer more than anything? An unplayable release with bad physics, or the production of a title lacking any sort of demographics research? Regardless of the obvious annoyances, gamers as a crowd (including myself) can be a pretty picky bunch. We're always looking forward to the next big thing that hopefully doesn't transform into an overly hyped disaster, or collectively deciding whether or not a certain story checks out for other titles in question. We've seen it all and endured many great challenges, some cases which might involve just getting past a questionable intro.

 This morning in New York City Nintendo of America announced their plans for the upcoming Nintendo 3DS, finally announcing the release date and price. Fans across the country will be able to own the successor to the DS on March 27 for the price of $249.99.

Video game bosses are significant for a number of reasons. And it can all be traced back to the basic principles of storytelling. Every protagonist needs an antagonist, the yin to their yang, the hero and the villain, good versus evil, and what other clichés you can conjure. This contrast is how the human mind defines right and wrong. And it's the first pathway to making sense of the digital worlds we passively occupy.

Most games are (or used to be) designed as quick yet satisfying forms of amusement, taking a minimal chunk of time for the sake of entertaining individuals in moments of high stress, agitation or exhaustion. Most folks play video games to simply have fun, though every now and then we'll see games that have a sort of addicting quality, almost like it's some form of pixelated crack. But what makes a video game addicting? Is it the general flow of events, or repetitive grinding methods that seem to make one feel "stronger" with each lasting step?

Toast here with your Quarter Circle Forward review for the week of January 10, 2010. I reviewed Bayonetta, a stylish action game for the Xbox 360. You can read the full review below, and if you have any comments about the game, I ask that you leave them here or on our forums. Enjoy!

I'm only joking everyone, my mother just subscribed so I know that we're half way to reaching double digits. Our latest episode is all about New Super Mario Bros Wii, perhaps the best Wii game to come out this year. I certainly know it's been the game of choice for the three of us recently. This title really does present itself as a combination of the best aspects of previous Mario titles. The art style and innovation of Super Mario World, mixed in with the levels and enemies reminiscent of Super Mario Bros. 3 and a side of New Super Mario Bros DS. We also discuss the pros and cons of Valve's latest release, Left 4 Dead 2.

Hey Everyone, Here's another blog sooner tha I usually post one out, I was thinking that I would post this blog for both my blog & Press Pause Radio because I just wanted to give some much needed shouting out to a Franchise that I have stumbled upon & now can't stop thinking about.

So this is also another new thing we will be doing with the Top 5 segment for Press Pause Radio. we've been posting up the choices & lists on our pages of course as well as discussing them on the episodes that we have done so far but now I have also decided to do some in depth looks at the choices that are made for each new episode & off course why they were chosen or what kind of light we felt that Press Pause Radio would like to have brough to it. We have already dont a few Top 5 lists since I introduced it back from episode 5 so with this being the newest list to start this new trend I figured I'd get the ball rolling with a bit of an off kilter list if you will about a sub genre that doesn't get the love that it deserves which is the 2.5D side-scrolling of games

 

So you probably saw this coming & well yeah...I don't blame you, even though it was the Sega console that was considered to be the last stand that Sega had left to give & fell under pressure against the launch of the Sony Playstation 2 & many other circumstances as well, the Dreamcast is still regarded as one of the most celebrated consoles in video game history & leaves a legacy within just a half of year making it a full two years while the last game release was in Febuary of 2002, retail sales were slashing prices on remaining product, the Dreamcast has a legacy that is up to par to even rival the Playstation 2 which is just now nearing discontinuation...

Before we begin, I’d like to answer some of the questions you may be having right now. Yes, I am writing about a game that was released late last year.  And yes, some people did like the previous Prince of Persia titles compared to this one. I’ll admit that this is the first Prince of Persia game I have played, and so I may have a biased opinion of this game. And finally, no, I will not spoil the game if you have not played or finished it yet. Ok so now that we’ve gotten that out of the way allow me to discuss why I enjoyed talking to Elika so much, and why Prince of Persia has stuck with me long after finishing the game and the Epilogue.

We took this opportunity going over a big aspect of of the video game lifestyle, which is collecting games. We take a look at just why exactly gamers who collect, take the concept of collecting to a whole other level no pun intended at all. We discuss personal memories & thoughts on what exactlty posseses individuals to hold on games in numerous number, or search out niche games or platforms.

So I will definitely agree that this blog was definitley belated & should have been written some time back, I appoligize if it seems like we haven't gotten our shit together as of recent but we here at Press Pause Radio have been working to improve the entire setup & scope of everything so far from all of the feedback we've gotten in regards to the show & the suggestions that are listeners have given us which we are very grateful to hear by the way! thanks again for everyone who put in their two cents, it really helps us out on doing what we can to live up to the goal of the podcast which is...not being your everyday podcast in the light of quality spectrum that is hahahaha.