Looking for Technology and Games Writers
Hi Everyone!
Aplogies for the lack of posts lately, but I’ve just started a job at Examiner.com as the Channel Content Manager for Technology and Games. We’re currently looking for technology and games writers for the site — and yes, you can write from anywhere! If you’re interested in writing for the site, check out:
http://www.examiner.com/join_examiner.html#examiner
Fill out the application and we’ll see what we can do! I’m looking forward to hearing from everyone.
Best,
Carol
Really? Rock Band Illuminated Drum Sticks
Swimming lazily in the same vein as the Rock Band ‘Stage Kit’ complete with fog machine and lights are the Rock Band Illuminated Drum Sticks. For a mere $19.99 you too can preorder what Amazon only describes as:
Batteries included Silicone tips for noise reduction
GameStop, suspiciously enough, is not offering any preorder options for this accessory to end all accessories. If there’s any better reason for me to hide in my parents’ basement with the lights off in order to “Rock the world’s socks off,” I don’t know what it is. Are you ok with normal drumsticks? Or do you, like this blogger, need — nay, CRAVE that extra oomph to rock like Tommy Lee for your mom’s collection of stuffed unicorns? Don’t worry Princess Umlaut, your concert will start momentarily.
A Friendly Reminder: Vote for the Golden Joystick Awards!
It’s that time of the year again. The polls are open and it’s your duty not only as a citizen of earth, but as a gamer, to take a visit to the Golden Joystick site and vote for the best of the best. With 15 opinions to throw down, you best be getting over there before the action wears out. Here are the lovely games I voted for. Yeah. I liked Mass Effect. A lot. And since Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune was slept on for a game of the year nom the next in line had to be picked.
Of course you don’t have to follow suit in this voting vein, but just for poop and guffaws… Go! Vote! Show your opinion and differentiate yourself from the droning human masses. J/K, Humans! I Kid!
Xbox Live: On Choosing a Motto
As a toddle along on my Xbox Live kick, I’d like to vent my frustrations on the way too short Personal Motto character limit. Twenty-One characters? What kind of crap is that? There are so many great mottos I want to have, most of them from hysterical movies I love like no one’s business. I currently have ‘See you in girl hell.’ coined by the sexist Master Fnog, Leela’s karate teacher in Futurama. Such a good episode. But honestly, I want so many others …
‘I think somebody’s trying to chug in my face!’ — Beerfest
‘Come with me if you want to live …’ — Any Terminator
‘I’m gonna open a file of whoop-ass on you.’ — The Masked Unit, Futurama
‘Piss on that! I’m bringing a ma-she-tay!’ — Putman, Club Dread
With some random suggestions out, what’s your motto? Or better yet, what’s the best motto you’ve ever seen on Live?
I’ve Finally Signed on to Xbox Live
…And I couldn’t be any happier. Years ago I frolicked on the original Xbox Live, you know, the one without the bells and whistles, and when I switched over to my lovely 360, I didn’t see the need to pay more money and get with the ‘next-gen’ online throngs. How wrong I was. Xbox Live has changed me, it has converted me. I’m a believer. I’m constantly flipping through the marketplace, downloading lists of free demos, stalking my sadly short friends list and so much more.
There is a downside to my furious happiness however. I recovered my original Live Gamertag and in doing so, was unable to transfer my actual gamerscore over to my recovered account. I’ve had this Xbox since release night. My gamerscore isn’t astronomical, but it’s sure heftier than what I’ve got now! In a nagging sense of embarassment, and the driving force not to look like an absolute noob, (Yes, I care what people think, weirdly enough.) I’ve started to replay all of my games for the 360. I’m getting back up there baby, I’m doing it! Sadly, I’m only at 400 right now. I know. It’s pathetic. ![]()
Not to turn this into a post of woe, here’s my gamertag, masses! Feel free to hit me up if you want to play. But watch your back, you know … I’ll probably have at LEAST 425 points by that time. Sigh.
The Prince of Persia Gets a New Look
As a weird twist to a series hero that has changed immensely with each iteration of ‘Prince of Persia,’ this really takes the cake. In what can only be described as a ‘Final Fantasy’-like artistic direction, the ‘Prince’ looks completely different. And rightly so. IGN informs us that this game will be very different, that the Prince will have a new sidekick and that she, Elika, will be on the prowl to help him combat the new force of evil, Ahriman. While they say she’s not an annoying AI like most partners are at least some of the time, only time will tell. While I appreciate AI as a formidable role in plotlines, most of the time I like duking it out solo just me and my wits. Will having a sexy sidekick sway you for or against playing the upcoming ‘Prince of Persia’? Or will the new and seemingly pretty prince be the determining factor? Kotaku has more on the Ubisoft Montreal’s new direction on the series.
‘Iron Man’: Amazing Movie, Crappy Game?
Like most jaded gamers out there I’ve succumbed to the sad fact that video games based on and released with movies are absolute trash. Sub par graphics, rote stories that you already know, (having seen the movie) and formulaic and boring gameplay. Having come from seeing the movie ‘Iron Man’ last night and being completely blown away, I wonder and even half wish … will ‘Iron Man’ the game please give me more of the movie I so desperately crave? Skimming through reviews and comments it seems that it’s destined to not be so. But did it fail for the same journalists that are jaded by movie to game flicks like myself, or to the gaming masses in general? On IGN.com the 360 version of ‘Iron Man’ receives a 3.8, a deliciously bad score that I’ve only reserved in my reviews for a gem like ‘Kengo, Legend of the 9.’ Surprisingly enough, the IGN reader average for ‘Iron Man’ falls around a 6.2. Not the best score ever, but certainly not a 3.8. Under the links prompting you to the ‘Iron Man’ review, the following taglines sit: “The movie game tradition continues.” and “It’s games like this that make Tony Stark drink.” Now to be completely honest, I wouldn’t mind Tony Stark drinking, because then maybe I’d have a chance with him, but really, is this the chip on the shoulder that game journalists are going into a game with? We’re all guilty of it, that’s certainly for sure, but could this particular chip be knocking the review score down before we even pick up the controller? Is it possible that movie to game scoring systems really start at a 7.5? That we punish them even more for daring to exist as corporate marketing schemes banking on the success of a fantastic movie with a much more expensive but cheaply developed game? Below the reader average, out of 19 press ratings the average press score is 4.6. Not so good. What really interests me about this though, is that the gaming-inclined hosts of the radio show Big O and Dukes, said on their show, that it was good. They hold good company and like good games. What is happening? Is there some kind of conspiracy here? Since I haven’t played the game, I don’t know for sure, but what I do know is this: Everyday gamers sure do like ‘Iron Man’ better than game journalists and me? I aim to find out why.
Nice to Meet You
Carol: I’m a big nerd. Passions include video games and um… horror movies? My favorite games are really difficult to name because I have so many, but if I had to pick it’d be Mass Effect, KOTOR 2, God of War, Resident Evil 4, Bioshock, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, Eternal Darkness … the list goes on and on. Want to drop me a line? Email me at Carol.Orsini@theastutegamer.com — I’m also on Live as OscarDOOM.
Lauren: I like knitting, sewing and eating sushi. My favorite games are phoenix wright, resident evil 4, and chrono trigger for the super nintendo. Well, I play it on my pc now.






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