Quick Lessons in What We Learned from E3

Well, let us all think about it. What did we learn from E3 this year?

We learned that Sony might, just might have learned a lesson.

We learned that Nintendo is no longer interested in courting the hardcore. We also learned that they are very interested in tooting their own horn. Which is due them. They are very successful.

We learned that game journalists don't like walking all over Santa Monica.

We learned that Microsoft is going to own this holiday.

We learned that the killer app of the convention belonged to Hannah Montana.

We learned that Littlebigplanet is going to bring together people in completely new ways. We also learned that it is indescribably cute.

We learned that 1408 is actually a great movie. I mean, that's what I did during E3 this year. Maybe next year I'll get a press pass and invite.

We learned that the Wii will turn into a "Smash Bros. machine", as finnagan calls it, on December 3rd.

We learned that Rock Band will probably be able to take Guitar Hero 3 in a battle of Weezer supremacy.

We learned that Fallout 3 is gonna be awesome. Well, duh.

We learned that Mass Effect is the game that will break me and force me to buy a 360.

All in all, sort of quiet. Not a lot of big announcements or proclamations. Let's wait and see what happens at TGS.

What did finnagan learn after E3?

"Snoop Dogg's a hack who steals his music from classic games."

The Return!

Who still checks this? You deserve a kiss from me.

I wanted to make sure I got the site back up and running before E3, so here we go. With all the news buzzing around, from a possible PS3 price drop to Brawl not being playable at E3, I figured now would be the perfect time to come in and drop a little knowledge on yas.

But, today, the title is talking about more than just Hyper Critical's massive return to the internet.



We're talking about the game that has the potential to be the biggest non-Prince related game out there. We're talking about GTA IV.

I've actually never been a big GTA fan. My dad has always been a bigger fan than I have. He's played III, Vice City and San Andreas to death. This is the first one in a long time that I've been interested in playing because of the style. I mean, have you seen the first two trailers? This game has potential to be a watershed game. Something that is artistic while still being a huge commercial success. GTA IV gives Rockstar and Take Two so much cache, that it could even effect the Manhunt debacle. But that's a story for another day.

As N'Gai Croal points out, GTA IV looks like a Cronenberg movie. Will this be the game that can start a tide to change public opinion of games, from simple toys to involved narratives with deep and interesting gameplay? We'll see, but I feel good about it. We're eventually going to get to a day where people can't deny the artistic value of games. Every Bioshock, GTA IV and Twilight Princess that comes out puts one more chink in their armor.

Next time, theoretically, we'll discuss the Manhunt/AO situation and how GTA IV could effect it.

ATTENTION!

Regular posting will return soon, as there is internet in my apartment. I live in the stone age, though, and must install a wireless card on my clunky desktop. Sorry...I've just always been more of a fan of the hard ethernet cable.

To tide you over until then, I reference a post I found on Kotaku.

Gyakuten Saiban 3 is coming stateside in September, obviously meant to coincide with my birthday. But, even cooler, as with the last DS iteration, it's got the option to play in English right off the bat in the import version! I actually still haven't beaten Justice For All, (Get off my back, I've got Pokemans to deal with!) but Phoenix Wright is one of my favorite franchises in games today. I'm saddened to know that the next one doesn't feature Phoenix and his colorful cast of characters as the star...

The Lost Blog

Hey folks...it's Jacob. Still in Manteo, North Carolina. I haven't had much access to the internet, so I've no clue what's going on in the gaming world. Is Sonic still edgy? I should be getting internet access by the end of the week, so the same old smart ass comments you've come to know and love will flow on a daily basis once again.

I miss you all. Kisses.

On the road again...

Hey folks,

Once again, apologies for the sporadic postings. It's been a rough week. I won't bore you with the details, but I did have two auditions I had to get prepared for this week, not to mention getting ready for my big move to North Carolina for the summer. If anyone is a fan of the blog and happens to see my show, come up after and tell me so. I'll be amazed.

Until I'm able to get regular internet access, I leave the blog in the very capable hands of finnagan. He'll be your daddy until I get back.

But I will be back and will toss up postings when I get the chance.

See you on the other side.

Jackie Chan is...

Seriously...how have I never seen this?

The 10 Point Scale

First off, sorry we haven't been around much. Here at the Hyper Critical HQ, life has been very, very busy. Normal posting should resume some time next week, though I'll try my darndest, in the meantime, to keep you full and fat off of video game observations as I can.

This story seems to be getting some play . The idea of a ten point scale as a way of judging videogames has gotten out of whack over the years, to the point where anything below a 7.5 for a Mario title is blasphemy. Well, Stephen Totilo put himself to the test a while back, and created his own ten point scale as a point of reference. It was first pointed out to me by Guy over at IP. He's actually putting together a column about it. I submitted my ten point scale, but thought that it would be a waste to not share it with you. So, without further adieu...my ten point scale.


10 -

Resident Evil 4 (NGC) - In my mind, the best marriage of storytelling and gameplay of the last generation.

Civilization 3 (PC) - The single most addictive game I've ever played in my life. Endlessly replayable, with endless stories to tell.

9 -

Super Smash Bros. Melee (NGC) - The ultimate party game. Pick up and play at its finest. Though, it rewards judicious study.

Suikoden III (PS2) - A tale told through several perspectives, along with a huge cast of colorful characters. My favorite RPG.

8 -

Hotel Dusk: Room 215 (NDS) - A deep, involving tale, using all of the best features of the console to enhance the story.

Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4 (PS2) - The best soundtrack. One of the finest tuned games around. The great franchise. It's just solid, solid, solid.

7 -

NBA Jam (SNES) - The first one. A basketball game for everyone with off the chart fun.

Sam and Max: Hit the Road (PC) - One of my favorite games of all time. It's a shame it can be completed in less than an hour.

6 -

Blitz: The League (XBX) - A gritty look at football with so much promise. Unfortunately, the characters were ugly, even for the time, and the AI plays cheap catch-up.

Wario Ware: Mega Microgame$ (GBA) - A wonderful collection of addictive microgames. Only problem is, there's not much more than a few minutes of gameplay per turn.

5 -

WWF Smackdown (PS1) - The inferior cousin of the AKI games, Smackdown's control system felt so loose as to be almost unplayable to me. But, the character creation was solid at the time and enjoyable matches could be had.

SimCity (PC) - Yes, I know it's a classic but...there's just no point to it. Build a city...then what?

4 -

Silent Hill 4: The Room (PS2) - Arguably, the finest premise of any of the Silent Hills. "You're trapped in a room and can't get out." Then, what's the first thing they do? You crawl through an extradimensional slip out of the room...

Suikoden IV (PS2) - The only interesting part of this game involved the quest for Ted, the original bearer of the Soul Eater rune from the first game. So, if this was the first Suikoden you picked up, I am very sorry for wasting your time.

3 -

Superman Returns (360) - Slightly better than the movie.

Dead or Alive III (XBX) - The most boring fighting game I've ever played. Plus, I have no love for the characters, so I'm not beholden to love them like some are.

2 -

Final Fantasy VII (PS1) - Cutting edge at the time, but looks like a bum's asshole today. Not to mention the asinine ending and mediocre characters.

Spiderman: Maximum Carnage (SNES) - I wanted this so badly when it came out, as it came out on my birthday and I was a big comic book nerd. I played through it, out of duty, but I look back now and know that, without the IP and cool red cartridge, it's just a substandard beat 'em up. If there's one thing I hate in game design, it's laziness. Maximum Carnage reeks of laziness.

1 -

Xenogears (PS1) - Mind bogglingly stupid. I mean, granted, I guess the idea of beating up mechs with one's fists is cool, but the supposed "depth" of this game doesn't measure up, in any way, to the amount of gameplay provided and certainly doesn't measure up to the paltry story.

Mario Party 3 (N64) - What a waste of a game. Even if you happen to be great at Mario Party's minigames, chances are Bowser is going to show up and take all of your stars anyway. An affront to anyone who has ever played a board game and the only game I ever put down and said, "I will never play this again."


Agree? Disagree? Have your own ten point scale? Let's hear it.

Miyamoto is awesome because he sleeps

Been under the weather H-C faithful, so sorry we took a few days off. Look forward to the next couple of days when we answer the question, "What is the future of gaming going to be?" And, also, the first chapter in our perfect MMO series.

But, for today, here's some quick content.

Over at Kotaku they've got a story about Miyamoto falling asleep during a Koji Kondo speech at GDC. That's not really the story to me, though.

The story to me is that, like, the first five comments on the page are all about how Miyamoto is awesome because he fell asleep at the keynote.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I think Miyamoto is awesome and there's really no problem with him falling asleep during the keynote. I think he's earned it, after all. I just think it's funny how much goodwill Miyamoto has. He's singlehandedly made sleeping cool for Mario fanboys again.

Dear Microsoft...

I have noticed that you have sent out a few XBox 360 Elites to bloggers that I frequent. And, while I am sure they appreciate it, there are people out there, like myself, who don't even have a regular ol' XBox 360. Shame on you, Microsoft. Instead of those well to do bloggers who are rolling around in piles of cash, you should send them to homeless people and expand the market.

Address available upon request.

Sincerely,
Jacob York
Staff Writer - Inside Pulse
EIC - Hyper Critical
I am a very important person.

PS - Actual content later, folks.

A sad day for my personal favorite podcast...

You may or may not know this, but I'm a massive fan of the 1up Network's podcast selection. I subscribe to all of them (Yes, even the WoW podcast) and work out to them throughout the week. 1up Yours, the flagship podcast, is losing one of their most integral parts this week, as Luke Smith, news editor at 1up is leaving for the greener pastures of Bungie to be a community manager of some sort.

I'm sad to see Luke go, but a lot of people are saying, "OMGZ, there's no point in listening without Luke!" Now, I'll concede that Luke is important, but I'll keep listening. It'll still be great entertainment. Plus, I was always more of a John Davidson fan, myself.



Seriously, is that a dapper editorial director, or what?

Plus, Luke being gone opens up a new position at 1up... So, if anyone from there is reading, I've got an e-mail at the bottom of the blog. Don't hesitate.

The Proper Care & Feeding of a MMO - A Multi-Part Series

Jacob: We here at Hyper Critical are going to start a new series based on the genre that we think has the most growth potential for the immediate future. After seeing the massive reaction garnered by games like Gears of War and Crackdown, there's no question in my mind that co-op gameplay is the future of gaming. Online gaming is no longer an option...it's expected in this next generation, on consoles and on PC. So, what else could be the pinnacle of online gaming but the MMO? The MMORPG is, in comparison to most other genres, still a little wet behind the ears. As such, I don't think game developers have even scratched the surface of what is possible in these games. I've played a couple of online games in my time, but not many. That's why the entire staff of Hyper Critical (that's myself and finnagan...) are teaming up for this in-depth look at what the genre should become.

finnagan: I'm surprised subscriptions to MMOs aren't manufactured in abandoned apartment buildings and sold in the dark corners of subway stations. It would only make sense — they're just that addicting. Don't worry, I'm not here to lecture you on playing your favorite MMO in moderation. By all means, indulge yourself. Personally, I have a special spot buried deep down in my cholesterol-ridden heart that's reserved just for MMOs. I think the fundamental idea of an MMO is fantastic. You and some friends travelling together, killing things and taking their belongings, alongside thousands of other people doing the same thing. What isn't there to like? In my opinion a lot. I think MMOs have a lot of potential of becoming a phenomenal genre but they're just not quite there yet. 'But finnagan, MMOs are an incredible genre! My hunter in WoW can out-damage (per second) a vampiric-ninja riding a cocaine-crazed triceratops'. This is where I would interrupt (with the most evangelical voice I could summon, mind you) and command the speaker to unshackle his cookie-cutter restraints. In all seriousness, WoW is great. There are some other good MMOs out there too. But are any of them truly great? Is there a Citizen Kane of MMOs? No. I think we're stuck with Road House at the moment. But fear not, true believer. There might still be hope. Jacob and I have some ideas. And we carry some weight, he and I. Over the course of the next two months, we are going to be your spiritual guide to MMO nirvana. We are going to describe an MMO, that from our perspective is flawless. We call it — A Hole in the Ground: The MMO Experience

Jacob: "But what qualifications do you have?" you might ask. "You're just a couple of guys on a blog that so few people read, I often wonder why you even post in the first place!" First off, no need to be dismissive. We're trying to help you. Secondly, we've each got multiple MMOs under our belt. finnagan has played more than I have, but I've had tenures with City of Heroes and World of Warcraft. I've also had enough experience with typical RPGs and tabletop gaming to consider myself able to speak intelligently. But there's a problem in this. The main one is that I hate MMOs. I either play video games to get an immersive narrative experience or an exciting and compelling gameplay experience. I don't play games merely for the privilege of playing them. For some, hunting down a better set of armor than the next guy is enough. That's pointless to me and that's how I find most MMOs play out. The combat isn't interesting. Most of the time it's boiled down to pressing the "1" key, over and over again. The story isn't engaging because you're getting the same quests as anyone else. A great game narrative makes you feel unique. In an MMO, I'm just another number in the mass of Orgimmar. Sure, there's lore to look up, but most of that occurs out of game, which is counterintuitive. After a while, I realize I'm doing mind-numbing fetch quests, and listening to people bitch about lag, which isn't my idea of a fun night. One of the harshest criticisms I've heard levied toward the genre was from EGM Editor Shane Bettenhausen who called it "MSN Messenger with graphics." Harsh, but at the level many current MMOs are at, I'd be hard pressed to refute it.

I also approach this from the perspective of a casual MMO player. I've never been sucked into an MMO the same way a great single player can. That's why Oblivion captivated me so much. It's like a MMO without all the assholes and a more cogent storyline. I so desperately want to be a hardcore player, because I see so much potential in the genre. It truly is the future of gaming, if done correctly.

finnagan: If MMOs were lovers, I'd be writing this with an itchy crotch and at least one illegitimate child. Like a drunken sorority-girl with a high threshold-of-pain, I've sauntered from game to game — looking for love in all the wrong places. My MMO rap sheet includes Ultima Online, Final Fantasy XI, World of Warcraft, Dungeons & Dragons: Online and The Lord of the Rings: Online. When I haven't been involved with an MMO I've been playing games like Neverwinter Nights on player-built persistent worlds. Furthermore, when we subtract teh interwebs from the equation, I'm all over Oblivion and playing tabletop Dungeons & Dragons. How do I feel about MMOs? I love the idea of MMOs, I'm just tired of the playing the same game but paying a different company. If a fantastic MMO came along, I'd welcome it with open arms (and an open wallet).

Jacob: finnagan and myself have been planning this out for some time now. Over the past few years, we've discussed what makes a good MMO. What the highlights were in the ones we were playing, what was wrong with each of them, and what we wished they could do. Over the span of this 8(?) part series, we'll cover all of that and, through that, craft the perfect MMO.

finnagan: What would the perfect MMO (A Hole in the Ground: The MMO Experience) entail? Well, that's what we're going to be talking about over the next two months. We're going to be covering several issues that will hopefully open some eyes. We're going to be looking at the idea of a persistent world, how a player should be able to interact with the world, be it his inanimate surroundings or NPCs. We'll also talk about how the story of an MMO should be handled. This involves the scary idea of player-driven story. Something else that we'll touch on is the maximum capacity of game servers and how they should be managed. We'll examine the idea of using small servers for better interaction. Of course, we can't forget the ever-beloved character creation screen. This is something that I hold dear to my heart. If someone released Character Creation, the Game I wouldn't be writing this, I'd be playing that instead. So, of course we're going to be talking about the digitalized birthing process of your character. And if we're going to be talking about the birth of characters, we've got to look at the death as well. What happens to us when we die? If we don't know in real life, should we know in a game? Spooky, huh?

Jacob: All in all, I think this has the potential to be fascinating. For us, at least. We'll get to all of this in time. In our next installment, we'll discuss the idea of a persistent world and where we came up with the title, A Hole in the Ground: The MMO Experience.

Does the hypothesis sound more salient now?

A game that I always wanted, but never felt compelled to drop the money on was Taiko Drum Master. I got a kick out of it because it was creative, cute and a lot of fun, in the limited time I got to spend with it. If you have any doubts as to how fun it was, I should remind you that the same team at Namco also made Donkey Konga, the preeminent drum playing ape sim on the market. My girlfriend at the time was crazy for it, but I just couldn't justify it to myself.

I might be able to justify the upcoming DS Version a little better, but I also worry that it won't be nearly as fun as gaming with that big drum peripheral. But, that is not why I'm posting about this. I'm posting because Famitsu is also reporting on a partial songlist and...look there...in the middle...

Game Music:
Super Mario Bros.

Hmmm...does that lend any credence to the idea that Nintendo may use Nintendo tracks to sway customers to their Wii version of Guitar Hero? Who knows...I'm just speculating. But, it is something to think about.

Best News to Happen to a Beloved Game Franchise All Year?

Bethesda's acquisition of the Fallout franchise. I, honestly, don't know if they'll get their $5.75 mil. worth out of it, but, as someone who enjoyed the first two games, I'm chomping at the bit to see this one.

I know a lot of hard core Fallout fans are worried about Bethesda bastardizing their beloved franchise, and I understand that worry well. But I posit this question...did any of you play Oblivion, for God's sake? If we can get a post-apocalyptic Oblivion, I'll be happy. Don't get me wrong...I don't want them to give it the Shadowrun treatment and make it into a FPS with RPG elements, but if they treat it with the same respect they treat the Morrowind franchise with, it shouldn't be a problem.

That burnt out landscape is going to look beautiful. Just sucks that I'll never have a computer nice enough to run it. But, there's always the XB360, right?

But more importantly, who am I?

Every now and then something really big comes along. Something immense that one can't stop thinking about it, one obsesses over. My posts aren't going to fall into that category, it's sad but likely true. 'But finnagan (all in lowercase), why would you say such a horrible thing? Don't you have faith in yourself? Reach deep for inspiration, achieve your dreams, pay off your car loan', you may say. First of all, I'll pay off my damn car loan when I'm good and ready, get off my back. Secondly, my posts aren't going to be a big deal because, well, this is Jacob's blog, not mine. I'll probably be peppering in comments here and there and of course stealing ideas and molding them just enough to pass off as my own. Allow me to demonstrate. Not too long ago Jacob posted a "Who Am I?". I am swooping in on tenebrous wings, wrestling his format from his clenching hands, and convincing his format to turn against him and work for me now. So...

Who Am I?
I am so glad you asked. I am a gamer and a graphic designer. You'll notice that gamer came first. I like putting pleasure before business. I will quite often sacrifice several hours of sleep to gain a few more levels, collect a few more powerups, or shoot a few more pixels. "Shoot a few more pixels," that just sounds shady.

Favorite Game of All Time:
Jacob likes asking himself tough questions. Since I've stolen his format, I have no choice but to ask myself the same tough question. I wish I could answer it. I'll do what Jacob did. Here's my top five:

Ultima Online (PC): You can have your fancy World of Warcraft. If you wanted absolute mayhem and murder in a MMO, UO was your destination. If you're like me — and face it, you probably are deep down inside — when you play a MMO, you're trying to ruin as many people's day as possible. My name was Tokkeabi. Perhaps I killed you. In UO, this dream became a reality. Murder was a way of life... and it was fun.

Final Fantasy III (SNES): A huge cast of playable characters each with an intriguing backstory, a villain that deep down you can't help but like, and most importantly M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-M-MAGIC??!! This was actually a tough call. I didn't want to list FF3 and Crono Trigger. Final Fantasy III won, but just by a little bit. If you enjoy RPGs even a little bit, I urge you to try Final Fantasy 3 or Crono Trigger. Both games were originally developed for the SNES but have been re-released on several consoles.

Ms. Pacman [with speed chip] (Coin Op): So, what makes Ms. Pacman special? For starters it's an addictive game, it also has ghosts. Any game that has ghosts in it automatically gets two stars. Now, I cannot stress this enough: while this game has astral projected itself onto many, many consoles — it's only on my top five as the coin op, preferably with the speed chip. It's also preferable that I've had at least half a pitcher of beer. No other game on the face of the planet is more fun to play while drinking. I won't bother explaining the game because, let's be honest, you wouldn't be here if you've never played it before.

Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES): Oh yeah! This game is on the list not because it's a Mario game, but because it's not a Mario game. Don't get me wrong, I loved all of the Mario games on the NES and SNES. But this game was a mindfrag. Jumping on enemies doesn't kill them?! What?! I have to throw vegetables, eggs and other foodstuffs at enemies?! Maybe I just like the idea of edible weapons, I don't know. Best Mario game EVAR!!11!!one!11!eleven.

Naruto: Gekitou Ninja Taisen! 4 (GC Import): Most fun I've had with a fighter. This barely edged Super Smash Bros. out. Regardless of whether you're a fan of the Naruto anime series or not (a lot of anime snobs are not), this is a fun fighter. Cell-shading for the win. There are a lot of playable characters, the look of the game and the music are very true to the anime, there are several different modes to choose from, and a lot of stuff to unlock.

Honorable Mentions: Guitar Hero (PS2), Quake 2 (PC), Little Nemo: The Dream Master (NES), Crono Trigger (SNES), Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (GBA), Double Dragon (NES), Leisure Suit Larry (PC), Alien Hominid HD (XBLA), Cooking Mama (DS), X-Wing Vs. Tie Fighter (PC).

Least Favorite Game of All Time:
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (PS2): Did you like Final Fantasy VII? Do you like First Person Shooters? Okay, then don't play this game. Do you enjoy clunky controls and half-baked game mechanics? Then give Dirge of Cerberus a try. Seriously the most frustrating game I've played since Bart vs. the Space Mutants.

First Game I Beat: Super Mario Bros. More notably I can beat Super Mario Bros. 2 in under 15 minutes. Leave a comment if you think you can beat my time. We'll arrange a battle royale.

Favored Genres: Anything with charm. Humor in a game really hooks me. Typically RPGs lend themselves to this. I also enjoy the Retro genre.

So, now you know me. If you made it this far, I congratulate you. If I were XBox Live I would give you an achievement. Do me a favor, leave some comments. Until I post again, have a good one.

Are you, perhaps, looking for something to do next week?

I've got an idea. Maybe you should come see this.



Starring Lee Lyons and Clair O'Neill
Stage Managed by Shannon Shelby
Directed by Jacob York
Part of the Sock and Buskin Studio Festival
Poster Design by Dave Moore

From Dramatists: SWEET EROS is a monologue delivered by a poet, with interruptions, in the form of sobs (at first), muffled protests (at first), and the croaking of a song, 'Plaisir d'Amour' (at the end). The poet, formerly a math teacher, has kidnapped a young woman and driven her to a remote house in the country. When we first see her, she is gagged and bound to a chair, and in the course of the action she is on the receiving end of a nonstop spate of reminiscence, personal philosophy, sharp instruction, and true confessions and observations, many of them repulsive.

This is a play I've been wanting to do, in some capacity, since I was a freshman in college. I pray I do it justice.

A Hypothesis

So, Guitar Hero III is going to be coming to "every significant new format", right? It's also been announced that GHIII will feature downloadable content, right?

So, let's think for a second. Each console is going to be looking to differentiate itself from the other, in order to let you know why you should get the next gen Guitar Hero experience from them. So, what's the best way to let the audience know you are different from the others? It won't be graphics, because it's Guitar Hero, for God's sake. The sound is comparable on each platform, so it won't be that. But, exclusive downloadable content...that's where the juice is.

Who has the leg up? It's not Sony, because, in spite of the fact that they've got the behemoth of Sony Music on their side, chances are they won't be able to organize enough to be able to take advantage of it. With Sony, it seems like the right hand rarely knows what the left is doing. Plus, Sony Music won't want to miss out on more money across the board, just to help their Computer Entertainment division. Microsoft doesn't really have a presence on the music scene. But, who has got a huge library of songs that gamers would like to play? A library that they own. A library that they could distribute at their leisure and, no matter what, would never appear on any other system. A library full of songs that could appear without license fees, thus making them cheaper to sell, benefiting both parties.

Mark my words...you'll be able to play the Super Mario Bros. theme song on GHIII for Wii out of the box. Fan service is powerful. Just look at The Minibosses or The Advantage. I know I'd be psyched about getting to play some of those songs. I'm all over Punch-Out, personally.

Who am I?

Nice to meet ya. I'm Jacob York. For lack of a better term, I'm the EIC of...my blog. I make that designation because there will (hopefully) be other people writing on this as well. You'll meet them soon enough I'm sure, but let me go ahead and give you an idea of who I am and why I'm doing this.

I wanted to start this blog as a way to supplement my writing on Not a True Ending, a division of Inside Pulse. I feel like I've got a lot of thoughts in my head about the current video game landscape, and my work there isn't conducive, necessarily, to the short blog information that I'm going to be writing here. It's like Stephen Totilo writing at MTV News and on his personal blog. Only, you know, we aren't as high profile. In fact, I'm pretty sure the only people reading this will be friends that I ask nicely to and my mom. Hi mom.

So, to give you an idea of who I am, gaming-wise, here are some arbitrary questions that one might ask. This'll just give you an overview. I imagine you'll find yourself figuring out who I am more from the content I put up here than anything else.

Favorite Game Of All Time: That's far too difficult to answer. I'll give you a Top 5, though, in no particular order.

Suikoden III (PS2) - In my opinion, the pinnacle of my favorite RPG series. The different perspectives was great and I had no problem sinking 100+ hours into this, just fooling around.

The Civilization Series (PC) - "Just...just one more turn." As an aside, I wish, wish, wish they would release a Colonization II.

Sam and Max: Hit the Road (PC)- If any game has helped to shape my sense of humor, this is it. Still one of the funniest games around. It amazes me how many people just haven't played it.

WWF: No Mercy (N64)- I write on a website that is primarily known for its wrestling coverage, so I try to avoid the subject, in order to differentiate the different sections of the site. I don't play many wrestling games or follow it as much as I used to, even as recently as a year ago, but this is what wrestling games should be. Period. I find it interesting that, seven years later, people are still saying, "Why can't you give us a wrestling game like No Mercy?"

Super Smash Brothers: Melee (GC)- The quintessential party game. There is nothing more fun than kicking everyone's ass with Yoshi. Nothing. And I don't even own this game. By the way, it's "may-lay", not "mee-lee." As in, "Yes, you may lay down while Pikachu has his way with you."

Least Favorite Game Of All Time: Final Fantasy VII. No question. I may expound upon this later, but I hate FFVII. Not with the impressive vitriol of some, but I hate it nonetheless. Also, Xenogears. But I loved Brave Fencer Musashi, so it's not just a matter of me having a bias against Square games released around then. Honestly, I don't get games for free, so I'm not in a position of being able to drop money on something I don't think I'm going to, at least, like.

First Game I Beat: Super Mario Brothers 3. Also the first game I purchased with my own money.

Favored Genres: I tend toward sims, RPGs and sports games, but I'm actually trying very hard to expand my horizon and become a more discerning gamer. So, really, this is irrelevant. I'll try anything. Except for driving games. None of that.

Hobbies: Writing about games.


With that out of the way, maybe we'll be able to get down to business. In short order, I plan on having a blog up about why I think Nintendo is forsaking it's primary supporters. We'll see how this goes.

Welcome to Hyper Critical

Welcome to Hyper Critical! There will be more information later!