Apropos of Video Games: Metacritic Stats (As of 10/10/08)

Good games as per Metacritic. (Games with green scores):

PS3: 118 games out of 247
http://www.metacritic.com/games/ps3/scores/

360: 201 games out of 509
http://www.metacritic.com/games/xbox360/scores/

Wii: 61 games out of 296
http://www.metacritic.com/games/wii/scores/

NDS: 114 games out of 521
http://www.metacritic.com/games/ds/scores/

PSP: 118 games out of 398
http://www.metacritic.com/games/psp/scores/

TOP 20 GAMES FOR EACH CONSOLE BY SCORE*:

Top 20 PS3 games by score.

Top 20 360 games by score.

Top 20 Wii games by score.

Top 20 NDS games by score.

Top 20 PSP games by score.

*Games with the same score as the 20th place game are included.

Apropos of Videogames: TF2 updates delayed until next year

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/55364

Valve’s class-based multiplayer shooter Team Fortress 2 won’t receive its next major update until next year, marketing VP Doug Lombardi has informed Shacknews.

digg_url = ‘http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/55364′;
“Well, it won’t be this year,” said Lombardi when asked about the next update. “But we’re going to keep evolving TF2. Once Left 4 Dead wraps, you’ll hear us clamoring more about [the next TF2 update].”

Lombardi made the statement after speaking on the impending release of Left 4 Dead (PC, 360), which saw contributions from numerous Team Fortress 2 team members as development of the cooperative zombie-killing shooter entered the final stages.

Apropos of Videogames: Bioshock 2 teaser trailer

Apropos of Videogames: Nintendo Announces the “Nintendo DSi”

Nintendo DSi:
LCD screen size: 3.25 inches
LCD screens: active TFT color LCD (260,000 colors)
Hardware size: L: 137mm, H: 74.9mm, W: 18.9mm (stylus length: ~92mm)
Power source: Nintendo DSi AC Adaptor, battery pack
Weight: ~214g (including the battery pack and stylus)
Battery charging time: ~2.5 hours
Battery charge length:
lowest brightness: ~9-14 hours
low brightness: ~8-12 hours
medium brightness: ~6-9 hours
high brightness: ~4-6 hours
highest brightness: ~3-4 hours
(This may vary from title to title.)
Playable titles: Nintendo DS software, Nintendo DSi software
Inputs: DS card slot, SD memory card slot, AC adaptor port, stereo　headphone/microphone port
*GBA games and DS games requiring the GBA slot cannot be played

QUESTIONS:
Where are the DSi exclusive games? – As of right now, none are known.

Is it WPA enabled? – One annoying thing about the DS was the fact that only the WEP security protocol was compatible with the systems Wifi. Has that been changed?

How will this effect Homebrew? – This is the big question. Without a GBA slot, Slot-2 devices and GBA game emulation just won’t work. Also, will Nintendo finally strong-arm flashcarts out of business?

More info coming soon.

Apropos of Videogames: Team Fortress 2 Free Weekend (August 22 – 24)

To round out the week on TF2 news, Valve will host another Free Weekend to give people a chance to try The Heavy’s new weapons on unassuming rookies. Download Steam and try it if you feel interested. I guarantee you won’t regret it.

Apropos of Videogames: Meet the Sandvich

Meet it, bitch.

The Sandvich is the Heavy’s first unlockable. It tastes as good as it looks and heals 120 health. Like in real life, the decision to eat a Sandvich must not be taken lightly; The Heavy is completely vulnerable during the four second eating process, and his loud, happy sounds of vigorous chewing will draw enemies like tiny ant cowards to a picnic. OF DEATH. On the bright side, the Heavy’s Sandvich supply is unlimited, so his only real concern is being caught short while enjoying this delicious edible device. The Sandvich is a great tool for a Heavy defending an area, as it gives him the ability to replenish health between enemy waves without having to abandon his post. Similarly, an offensive Heavy without a Medic can step back from the front line and grab a quick snack before resuming his rampage. Beware, however: the Heavy must set aside his shotgun to take the Sandvich, and enemy Snipers are much more dangerous for a Heavy wielding only a minigun.

Well, THAT came out of left field. Not the weapon (which we knew about for a month), but the new “Meet The Class” video. “Meet the Sandvich”

Crappy Youtube Quality:

High Quality: http://www.vimeo.com/1560985

Apropos of Videogames: New Heavy update EXACTLY as expected; Sandwich almost confirmed

As you can see, this was just as Keikakku, which means plan, in Wapanese.

Since we already know what the next weapon will be, we might as well discuss what the new Game mode and “Meet The Class” video will be. Will it be Pyro, as once confirmed several months ago, or “Meet The Civilian”, as a special surprise from Valve? I’ll be on the lookout, because I have nothing better to do.

Apropos of Videogames: Valve rolls out first of new Heavy weapons for Team Fortress 2; Heavy achievments and new Spy Weapon leaked

The first of 3 new Heavy Weapons. What will the others be?

From the website:

The unlockable for the Heaviest pugilists out there is the K.G.B. Any time a Heavy kills an enemy with the K.G.B he receives five seconds of guaranteed critical hits. This crit-boost can be used to punch and kill further enemies, extending the boost time. Alternatively, the Heavy can switch to another weapon and use the boost to take out an enemy at range. The Heavy’s slow movement speed, and the K.G.B’s slower swing speed, make it a risky prospect.

This is almost completely identical to a rumor floating around lately about leaked details of the new Heavy achievement weapons, citing a “slower crit based fist weapon, a Minigun that slows down enemies, and a sandwich that recovers health”.

Those who have downloaded the Icon pack for the new achievements will find that most of the names already give away what they are, and how you get them. One, namely Konspicuous Konsumption, even helps support the unlockable sandwich theory, with the name “tf_heavy_eat_sandwiches.png“.

What’s truly surprising is the Spyalectical Materialism icon, which seems to have a Spy holding a pistol with a Silencer.

Could it be that Valve has already given away what may be a new weapon capable of making the Spy not useless after the new Pyro updates? We can only hope.

EDIT: Achievement definitions

Thanks, [Razor] !YgQRHAJqRA

Apropos of Comics: The Exterminators #30 [FINAL ISSUE]

Ten months ago, I found a comic. I downloaded it on a whim; some fat shit on the internet (Who I love with all my heart) said it was one of the best things ever written. And you know what? It really fucking is.

A few scans in, the good ol’ DCP folks mentioned that the sales have been declining. “Hot crap!”, I said. “Why would people neglect such a great series? I am going to go buy an issue at my local neckbeard hoven tomorrow!”. I went, and I saw none. Sure, there was plenty of stuff Bendis wrote, or indie hipster comics that do so well in Rocketship, but no Exterminators. I tried hard to tell people about it. It’s amazing. It’s wonderful. But the funny thing is, by the time I started onto this fanatic campaign, it was already canceled.

What the hell? We don’t get many things this good in our lives. Well, actually, we do, but it goes by the wayside. We don’t notice. We’re all guilty of it, and no amount of bitching is going to bring the series back. But there is something we can do. When you see a “#1″ in the funny book shop, thumb through it. Ignore the poor fat bastard running the place and read it for as long as it takes for his patience to run out and for his large fat foot to reach your poor inquisitive ass. Every once in a while, you will like what you see. That’s when you buy it. When you buy it, go onto 4chan, Newsarama, CBR, and any other fanboy clubhouse on this interweb, and convince everyone you can that you have found a good thing.

Are you up for more laughs? I have not bought a single issue or TPB of The Exterminators. Funny. I kinda wish I have.

This isn’t a review. It’s a eulogy. And a reminder. From now on, I’m putting money to good things. Next up on the ‘to save’ list: The Boys.

See you all later, then.

This is very noticably rushed, but I can't complain. They gave us 30 good months worth of story, and that's much more than a lot of other comics could say.

Apropos of Anime: Gurren Lagann parallel works #2-6 videos

Song: So this is burning? Do you like it?
Director: Suezen

Song: Boing vs Boing
Director: Hirokazu Kojima

Song: Pierce the Heavens With Your XXX!
Director: Ryouji Masuyama

Song: Rap is the Soul of a Man! Perk Up Your Earholes and Listen REAL Close to the Theme of Lord Kamina, the Man of Raging Billows Who Believes in Himself and Points to Heaven!!

Director: ???

Song: To Hell With Gattai!
Director: Akira Amemiya