PNG Audiophile: Real People Are Amazing

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PNG Audiophile – Real People Are Amazing Hello there, PNG fans! The full team’s back together this week to chat it up about OnLive, Vin Diesel, death threats, DSi, and fetish grids. Click the link to download the MP3 directly, … Continue reading →

Will the recession kill video games part 3

In part one I discussed the video game industy as a whole, as well as the fate of the big 3 hardware manufacturers.  Part two examined the relatively rosey outlook for the industry’s two biggest software publishers:  Electronic Arts and Activision/Blizzard.  In part three we’ll take a look at more of gaming’s publishers.  They all speak loudly, but who will carry a big stick?

Will the Recession Kill Video Games Part 2

In part one of my editorial I explained why gamers should not fear the reaper when it comes to the recession killing our favorite digital hobby. However, this is not to say that all is well. Many popular franchises and, perhaps more importantly, publishers are in danger of being lost forever. In part two of “Will the Recession Kill Video Games,” I once again peer into the crystal ball after the break to take a look at the foreseeable future of the video game publishers whose games we all spend hard earned dollars on.

World of Goo is STEAM’s Crazy Weekend Sale

If you couldn’t justify spending $20 on World of Goo, boy does STEAM have a deal for you!  There is no way you can’t not buy this game for $5, and if you don’t, you hate freedom.  Pick it up in your STEAM client or you can buy it off of their website here.  I played the demo when it was released and immediately fell in love with the game.  I’ve been holding off on buying it as I’ve had so much other stuff to play, but this is a price that demands I pick it up now so I can play it later.  Jim did it with Prey and he’s still waiting!

PNG Audiophile – Don’t Panic

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Well it’s Friday, and you know what that means – it’s time for another PNG Audiophile.  In this two-hour long extravaganza, we talk about this Great Recession and how it will, or perhaps more likely won’t affect the future of … Continue reading →

PNG Daily 3/5/09: Pixels, Pixels, Pixels

BioWare for the most part can do no wrong.  Information on Dragon Age Origins has been trickling out for quite awhile now, but Kotaku has a post up with about 5 new screen shots.  Bioware also announced that they are releasing a graphic novel for the backstory of the game.  I got a chance to see this game in action at Gencon ’08 when Bioware was doing limited showings in the dealer hall and it is nothing short of jaw dropping.  I can only imagine what they’ve done with it so far!

2K Games and Take Two are starting the hype train for Bioshock 2.  You’ll find a story about the new site that was launched a picture of a poster stapled to a telephone pole that points the said site over here. 

Batman: Arkham Asylum is joining the ranks of Fallout 3 and Dawn of War 2 on Games for Windows – Live per this article from Joystiq.  Let’s hope that more triple A titles jump on that wagon so Microsoft will make the entire thing a little more functional like it’s console counter part.  This means the game will allow you to be logged on to your gamertag, earn gamerscore points by unlocking achievements, and send messages to friends on Live.

We’ll be recording our podcast tonight and will probably stick to every thursday night from here on out.  Expect it to be posted either in the wee hours of the morning or tomorrow afternoon.  Also, we’d like you to head on over to our facebook group if you have an account and join.  You’ll find our link over to the side.  I’d like it if you left us some feedback each week on what you’d like us to talk about. 

Finally, we’ve added a little link on the sidebar that directs you to Digg.  If you like our editorials, podcasts, or nonsense posts, please feel free to submit them to Digg. 

Outtie 5k.

Will the Recession Kill Video Games?

This is the money Midway could have saved by switching to sound business decisions.

Is it time to start getting worried about about our favorite pixelated hobby?

No.

It’s been said that the video game industry is recession proof.  However, with the recession in full swing and the past, pending, or imminent closures of many studios and even publishers, many have re-evaluated this position.  I am not one of them.

I peer into my crystal ball after the break.

Into The Pitt Goes Into Your Achievements

I apologize for the size of the picture but I wanted everybody to see what has just appeared in my gamerscore profile for Fallout 3.  Wonder what that means?

PNG Daily 3/4/09: Boy, Have We Got a Deal For You!

 

The feeds dished me up some news on some crazy sales today.  Allow me to put some bullet points up for you.  Kotaku has a list of EA games that are getting what appears to be permanent price drops.  Two titles really stand out on this list and that is Dead Space for $50 and Mirror’s Edge for $40, both spectacular critically acclaimed titles that just didn’t get those oh so tough holiday sales EA was expecting.  Joystiq is reporting that Microsoft is running a limited time promotion for Xbox Silver members that will allow them to upgrade to Gold for a year for $39.99 instead of the usual $49.99.  It is sad that Amazon has actually been doing Microsoft one better… one month better that is.  You can pick up a 13 month subscription card from Amazon for $39.99 with free supersaver shipping here.  Finally, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is on sale for $19.99 as Amazon’s deal of the day per Kotaku.  It’ll probably come to around $25 with shipping unless you decide to get something else that will push the actual purchase over $25 to nab that supersaver shipping.  If you’re one of the precious new adopters of our website, check out our review and see if you can spare some change for a game that was good enough to buy at it’s original price.

BoardGameNews.com continues to wrap up some details of specific game publishers releases at the 2009 New York Toy Fair.  What caught my eye was the little blurb about what Looney Labs is coming out with.  I am an avid fan of Are you a Werewolf but getting at least 8 people together to play it can sometimes be a chore.  Five people sounds a bit more manageable however.

Kotaku digs deep and possibly gives Jeff a little bit of hope about Wii Motion Plus’ release date.  An EA rep might have spilled a bean or two when it mentioned that they’re new tennis game will utilize the adapter that is scheduled to be out before their game’s release date of 6/18/09.  Read between those lines Jeff.

You should probably be grabbing the new Chronicles of Riddick:  Escape from Dark Athena demo off of Xbox Live right now by the way.  It just hit today and a couple of us should have some impressions up either on the site or in the podcast tomorrow.

Hit this link for the most ridiculous 13 mins or so that I’ve ever spent watching a video courtesy of Giant Bomb.  You’ll find it towards the bottom of the post. 

Outtie 5k

Know About It! Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War 2 Single Player Review

 

 

 

Publisher:   THQ
Developer:  Relic Entertainment
MSRP: $49.99

Grade:  A-

 

 

 

 

I couldn’t really tell you why I wanted to originally pick up this game.  The only time I ever played the original Dawn of War was back when it first released and they had a demo.  Furthermore, I was so flabbergasted by the multiplayer beta they had up on Steam.  The thing didn’t even have a proper tutorial!  However, I found myself inexplicably drawn to Dawn of War II and could not resist it’s primal pull.  I’ve always kind of had a dirty admiration and longing to play me some real time strategy games, and even have that same longing to play the actual tabletop version of Warhammer.  My issue is that I could never really get into base building for digital RTS’ and I didn’t have the time and patience to build and paint an army for the tabletop game.

Enter the delicious soup that is Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War 2.  This game is part RTS, part tactical RPG, part Diablo, and completely dope.