the be all end all video game thread

So I am up to 110 stars in Super Mario Galaxy 2. It only took about three days and I figured I would of had all of them + the green stars but.. Holy balls, these last few stars are incredibly frustrating to earn. Only two of them aren't from the bonus world; the purple coin gather in the Clockwork Galaxy and the chimp game where you have to jump on all the monsters for points in some bee galaxy. What's even more insane are the final world levels. I think I still need another week or so before I feel like I even want to attempt these stars again. I guess I finally got the difficulty I wanted..

In other news, I finally picked up Uncharted 2 on the PS3 (yea, 10 years later but I got it for super cheap so whatever). This game is just SO incredibly awesome. The campaign was probably the most fun I've had killing NPCs ever. The cut-scenes kept me engaged and interested instead of making me tired. Sure, it lasted about as long as the first Uncharted, but it felt 1000x bigger and more epic. At times it felt like I was inside an action movie. I don't even care about trophies but I still might go back and try to get them all just for an excuse to keep playing the single player.

And the awesome doesn't end here, the multiplayer is like Gears of War, except fun and doesn't rely on awkward shotgun shooting. I played it all day today and managed to hit level 20. The map selection is kind of limited for deathmatch but I'm sure the map packs will fix that when I purchase them. My biggest gripe, however, is that the pistols are stronger than half of the assault rifles. I find it much easier to rack up kills sniping across the map with the pistol than using the FAL or AK-47. Anyway, if anyone is still playing the Multiplayer send a friend request to Thorgouge. I'm the only one I know that has a PS3 and so it can get a bit boring playing online alone all the time. Oh and the same goes for anyone that plays LittleBigPlanet, Killzone 2, or Warhawk.

 

The Adventure of the Purple Coins @ Clockwork Ruins Galaxy: 5 minutes is actually plenty of time to collect all of the Purple Coins. I got all of them with nearly a minute to spare. Just take your time. This one really isn't that bad.

The Chimp's Score Challenge @ Honeyhop Galaxy: I spent approximately 20 lives trying to get this goddamn Star, so I don't know what to tell you. It's a pain in the ass. Successive jumps are obviously the key, but it's still tricky. Just when you get a good run going, you'll take a random rock to the face and it completely fucks you up.

 

Posted this in the youtube thread but I suppose it belongs here more. http://kotaku.com/5558339/if-this-is-the-next-mortal-kombat-movie-sign-us-up I realize its a gaming website but I'm crossing my fingers that it is a movie trailer, please please please be a movie trailer.

 

It's definitely a movie project; there is a listing under IMDB for a Mortal Kombat film to come out later this year, there are legitimate, second-tier/third-tier actors in the roles in the video, and it's way too long, well-shot, and well-directed to be a cutscene for a game.

It looks decent, but nothing exceptional. It's interesting that they decided to take the supernatural/Outworld elements out, but there needs to be an element of humor to something as intrinsically ridiculous as a doctor suddenly deciding to put blades in his skin, sharpen his teeth, and pierce his skin. The last 15-20 seconds where Scorpion reveals his name is just downright silly, too.

Still, it has promise. I love that they aren't using the shaky cam and appear to have decent choreography work going on. If it's a superior version of something like "Ninja Assassin", (which was very much enjoyable) I will see it.

Oh, and this should probably be moved to the "Upcoming Movies" topic.

 

Jeri Ryan said she did it as a favor for the director to sell WB on his MK idea. <a class="postlink" href="http://twitter.com/JeriLRyan/status/15752179609" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://twitter.com/JeriLRyan/status/15752179609</a>

 

If that was just a promotional 7 minute clip, instead of a scene from the completed movie, I'm a LOT more impressed. Assuming the choreography in the real film is better, and they polish up the other elements, it might be a very good action movie.

 

Needs less Michael Jai White. He's terrible in pretty much everything. Give the role to Quinton Jackson. Rampage fancies himself an actor now and he'd be perfect as Jax.

And no Raiden. If this film is going to take a somewhat realistic approach, the Raiden character has no place in it.

 

I'm not a huge Michael Jai White fan, but you do realize he has some comedic timing, and more importantly, a karate background, allowing him to do choreography really well?

I love Rampage, and he was my avatar on the old board for several years, but his language is too scattered and difficult to understand (even moreso than MJW), and based on what I've heard about the A Team, completely awful with scripted material, and not charming and funny as he is in interviews.

 

White's supposed comedic timing has nothing to do with the video that we've just seen. Moot point.

And while I'm aware that he has something of a karate background, that shouldn't factor into this potential Mortal Kombat movie. If the movie itself is going to mirror this short film, Jax goes nowhere near the tournament. Jax just points Scorpion in Sub-Zero's direction and Scorpion will simply neutralize Reptile and Baraka on the way.

 

First of all, how the hell does it follow that simply because Jax sends Scorpion in as an operative, Jax doesn't at some point get involved in fights himself? Seriously? Where did that logic leap come from?

But most importantly, I would find it really fucking weird if Michael Jai White, whose major strength is his martial arts ability, doesn't display it in a martial arts action film. Sounds kind of retarded, doesn't it?

 

Back to the Future and Jurrasic Park games in development? Fuck yes

http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/...c-park-to-become-episodic-video-games/1401645

 

New Starcraft 2 commercial: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B24oWz4t7w" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B24oWz4t7w</a>

Pretty fucking sweet.

 

Just saw the new cinematic trailer for The Force Unleashed II. Its fucking awesome...I might have a hardon right now.

HD Version on GameTrailers

 

Video game trailers with no gameplay are worthless.

Everyone can do CGI cutscenes these days, and although I'm not doubting this game will be awesome, it's just conversation until we actually see the gameplay.

 

I completely agree. Being a big Star Wars fan boy, I just loved that trailer for the sake of the badassery that it contained. I played and enjoyed the first Force Unleashed, but I don't think it was anything groundbreaking or spectacular.

 

Looks like Microsoft put out some more details about Project Natal at a pre-E3 event last night. Looks like the name has been changed to 'Kinect' and it will be out this november. Some links:

Final hardware revealed.
Initial info on some of the games.
Gamespot article on the subject.

Honestly, I'm still a bit skeptical about this peripheral. I enjoy my Wii but I still to this day have no interest in any of its motion control content. The Kinect seems like its going to be even more involved and when I am playing games, I just want to sit down or lay back in bed and enjoy whatever I am playing.

 

So, after seeing the Microsoft conference and watching an hour of painfully awkward Kinect demonstrations, I am utterly unimpressed. Basically all of the launch titles are going to be direct ripoffs of already unfun Wii launch titles and shovelware. The Star Wars game reminds me of that 90's gameshow Nickelodeon Arcade. I was pretty excited for Natal after seeing it at E3 last year but now... not so much.

Oh and still no mention of pricing, seems to me the rumors of $150 may be true. That, or they plan on bundling it with the new Xbox 360 Slim.

Edit: <a class="postlink" href="http://i50.tinypic.com/rtq51d.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://i50.tinypic.com/rtq51d.jpg</a> list of some of the launch titles for Kinect.

 

I hate to go here, but considering one of our new hires called me "sir" when answering a question this week maybe I am getting old. Anyway, the whole motion control thing is just kind of crossing over my comfort levels with video games anymore. For me one of the huge pleasures of games is the "sitting on my ass" component for them. I am sure a ton of people disagree with me and it's kind of weird the first time you notice something passing you by.

 

I agree with both of you, but as long as we're on the subject of "supremely bad-ass Star Wars game trailers that make you jizz in your pants", I think this new one for The Old Republic, following in the footsteps of the one they released at last year's E3, should be added to that list.