As the world holds its breath and moves to contain the swine flu, one question is on everybody’s mind. Which game will earn the game of the week title for 27 April to 1 May 2009? In contrast to the vaccine for the swine flu we have found the answer.
Read more the rest of the post at OnThisIsland - Link
Professional Gamer returns with some news and time wasters this week. Again, let me remind you that if you find anything game related which you think is worth sharing feel free to email me (costas.taliadoros@gmail.com) and I will try and include it in a future post.
NEWS
Gfk Chart Track released the UK Lifetime Hardware figures as of 31 January 2009. Link
Wii 4.9m
360 3.2m
PS3 1.9m
DS 8.8m
PSP 3.2m
PS2 10m
The PS3 is lagging behind its two competitors (launched later than both consoles) but it’s believed to be ahead of the 360 in the rest of Europe. While the Wii appears to be the new leader in the current console generatio, and not just in the UK, some dark clouds are starting to appear in the horizon. Japan has traditionally been the country where the console cycle is ahead of the rest of the other countries. Bill Harris at Dubious Quality has an excellent analysis of the lifetime sales in Japan and why Nintendo should be worried. It seems that the financial crisis, lack of good Wii games and the expansion of the market to less hardcore gamers are starting to take effect. Not to mention that the Wii has not had a price cut yet since it’s launch. In Cyprus the Wii is more expensive than the 360.
Read the rest of the post at OnThisIsland - link
The nominees for game of the week are:
The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault On Dark Athena is the sequel to the critically acclaimed xbox exclusive Escape from Butcher Bay. One of those rare games which were actually better than the movie they were based on. Starbreeze, a talented developer team (makers of The Darkness), has included in the package a remake of the original game. So anyone who has not played the original game is purchasing 2 games. If i had not played the demo a few weeks ago this would definitely be my game of the week choice. Unfortunately, i did not enjoy the demo as i found it to be your typical run and shoot in corridors type of FPS. There is a significant stealth gameplay element but i just did not experience it. However the game has received relatively good reviews so i may be wrong (again) and is definitely worth a look if you have not played the original game.
Here’s what Eurogamer thinks. “Assault on Dark Athena certainly isn’t the next-generation sequel it deserved, and compared to the cream of the current shooter crop it’s an average effort.” Link.
I have started a new weekly series of blog posts at OnThisIsland where i will be providing you with information on gaming events, interesting articles, videos and my views on games i am currently playing.
This series will complement the Game releases posts which can sometimes be handicapped by the quality and quantity of what is being released. If any of you out there stumble upon any stuff you find exciting feel free to email me (costas.taliadoros@gmail.com) and i will try to post them in future Professional Gamer posts.
Videos
Starting off this first post are three videos on Halo. You can say what you like about the quality of the Halo series but the Halo fan community is one of the most loyal and creative groups out there. If you like Red Hot Chili Peppers you will love the first one, Halo ((All I Play-Oh)) . The next video can be true of any multiplayer game, The Clan . If your gaming affects your relationship, then you can always Blame Halo 3!
Finally two non-gaming videos which are worthy of your attention. A fantastic promotional video for the Asics shoes brand (Link) and a video on how dolphins make their bubbles! (Link).
After reading Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar i took a much needed break by reading a few comic books. Now its back to reading about tyrants. I have just started Dinner with Mugabe, by Heidi Holland. Once again, as with the book on Stalin, i encounter the same conclusions. The people perpetrating some of the most horrific acts in human history are just that, people like you and me.
“According to British Actor Sir Ian McKellen, who over a career spanning 40 years has brought to life monsters of every epoch from Iago to Rasputin: ‘One of the few lessons i have learnt from studying people who do terrible things is that they are all too human. And that we are all capable of doing almost anything.’”
It’s when i read such statements that i realise i should not take anyone’s actions or behaviour for granted. Including my own.
Lake flies swarm - Malawi lake
“Early explorers told tales of lakes that smoked, as if on fire”
4 mins in the video. Link
New Game releases post now live at OnThisIsland. It seems that game releases are fasting this week…. Click here
Fantastic tension and a lot of yelling in co-op.
Gelada baboon - Ethiopia
My sister’s birthday is on Thursday. As a present i got her a copy of The Complete Maus, a graphic novel based on the story of Art Spiegelman’s father who was a holocaust survivor. (Wikipedia info)
My experience with graphic novels has been a turbulent one. Between the fantastic Sin City series and Watchmen to the unbelievably overrated Y: Last Man i still haven’t made up my mind on whether it is a medium worth exploring further. But i am still pressing on and currently reading the Preacher series.
Back to the present now. I want to see how she will react to it. Maybe when the next grahic novel i order from Amazon arrives and i open it she will ask “What’s that one about?”.
Selfish, i know…..
