Wall of Zombies
Beyond being a great name for a band, the Witch Doctor's Wall of Zombies ability, showcased in today's announcement for Diablo III here in Paris, made me grin ear to ear, and reminded me of exactly why I love games so much. Who cares about a wall of fire or a wall of ice, when you can summon a wall of the undead from the ground to protect you?
Oh and Diablo III? Looks nice, doesn't it?
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Digg thisThe Lineup Episode 4 or "Beat Mike Tyson!"
Episode 4 of our sports gaming video show, The Lineup, is a go! On this show, we keep it simple: boxing and football. In addtion to first looks at Fight Night Round 4, and an X's and O's segment on 2K's Prizefighter, we've got the latest edition of Aaron's annual quest to whip Mike Tyson's butt in Punch Out! On the gridiron front, we're going old school with the first look at Tecmo Bowl Kickoff, induct our first game into The Lineup Hall of Fame, and end things off with Shanker and Aaron battling it out... blindfolded. Yes, it's just as ridiculous as it sounds.
Punching, hitting, and Shanker becoming an apologist for Mike Tyson's criminal career... this show's got it all! We hope you enjoy this episode of The Lineup as much as NBA referees enjoy fixing games... allegedly!
Odd Achievements Bug
So I'm sitting on my couch this morning, playing GRID online with a bunch of folks from Switzerland. Or at least, I think they're from Switzerland, judging by the flags they're rocking next to their names. Could be England. Anyway, we're running a Formula 1000 race (by far my favorite cars in the game) at Donington (except for Spa, probably my favorite track in the game) and I'm holding my own in fourth place.
All of a sudden, as I'm trying to judge whether I'm going to brake on that blind, slightly uphill turn eight, the game goes crazy on me, the screen turns the color of puke, and I'm instantly awarded two achievements: Short Haul (for driving 500 miles in the game) and Long Haul (for driving 1000 miles). This after only having driven approximately 300 miles in the game total. Huh?
Now, a game-crashing bug isn't all that new but I don't think I've ever seen a bug so severe that it broke the achievement system. Not that I'm complaining or anything; I'll take the achievements points however I can get them. But this was new for me. Has anyone else run into anything like this in GRID, or any other game for that matter?
The Lineup: Episode 3 or "Beat Up A Shark"
Hello everyone, I'd like to take a moment to tell you about all of the good stuff that can be found in this, the third episode of our sports gaming video show, The Lineup. I'd love to talk about our full report from the 2008 NFL Draft, complete with first looks of NCAA 09 and Madden 09. I'd like to point you to the debut of a brand new strategy segment in the show, where we break down EA Sports' UEFA Euro 2008. I'd like to even tell you about our interviews with TNA wrestlers like AJ Styles and Jay Lethal.
But, really, none of that matters when compard to The Lineup's Wii Fit tips. Trust me, watching this show will give you an entirely new perspective on Nintendo's new fitness product, how to use your dog to cheat at jogging, and when it's okay to use yoga to beat up the elderly.
I hope you enjoy this episode like Cedric Benson enjoys boating under the influence... allegedly!Hulk Go Hands-On With Hulk
Recent Reviews
Then there's "Naughty", a tune that can only be referred to as a R&B pop masterpiece. This is "dance" music as played by masters of their craft, ingenious hooks, deadly rhythm combinations and finely honed production values. Forget the drum machine beats and cheesy synth effects which would take over the pop scene a few years after "Naughty" released; this CD's creation was clearly a labor of love for all those involved.
Besides Chaka's typically incredible vocal performances (it's all too easy to forget just what a unique powerhouse vocalist she is), it's the musicians playing the backing tracks who set this CD apart. Legendary bassist Anthony Jackson, in particular, set a new standard in R&B bass playing with his performances on these songs, taking his typical melodic yet complex approach to his extended range instruments which, at the time, were rarely used. Each bass line on this CD is an absolute masterpiece, played with flair, precision, and fury not seen since the James Jamerson Motown days and rarely matched since.
I approach this review from a biased standpoint but, as a bass player, it's my opinion that this CD should be in the standard lexicon of every modern day bass player. It is just as immediate and impressive a musical statement, within its own context, as Stanley Clarke's "School Days" and Jaco Pastorius' eponymous debut.
Jackson, in interviews since this CD was made, marveled at the amount of freedom that he and his fellow studio musicians were given during the recording sessions for this CD. In fact, in several tunes, he was given extra time to work out his ingenious parts on his own, come back to the studio and re-record over his initial takes -- a phenomenon that is unheard of in today's factory-like pop recording industry.
Despite this kind of artistic freedom among backing musicians being basically extinct today, it is comforting to know that at least we have quality recordings such as "Naughty" to prove that, sometimes, the end truly justifies the means.
Repeated listens, as they so often do, rewarded my ears and I came to fall in love with the immediacy of IBE's production. This CD is a firm statement of return for the Hip, who perhaps felt the shine of the previous studio efforts was holding them back.
That same immediacy and in-your-face production value can also be found in Downie's stellar lyrics, such as when he directly addresses his listeners in the second single, "Summer's Killing Us":
"And does your family know your wishes?
Because this tune will do you like the dishes."
His typical skewed, poetic eye also shines in the apparently political commentary of "It Can't Be Nashville Every Night" and the oddly moving "Gus: The Polar Bear From Central Park" the conceit of which discusses the well-documented and slow descent into madness suffered by the aforementioned Gus, living in the Central Park Zoo, thousands of miles away from his native habitat.
The Hip are in fine form in this latest release. In all honesty, I never thought they would top "In Violet Light" -- which, to my ears was a perfect balance of restraint, songwriting and studio flair. I was wrong. The songs are just as good on "In Between Evolution" but the production and energy capturing The Hip as a great live band, makes this my favorite title in their catalog.
