Microsoft Corp. revealed its successor to the widely popular Xbox 360 – called the Xbox One this time around — in a press event on May 21, three months after competitor Sony Corp. announced its new gaming console, the PlayStation 4. While Sony did not reveal the physical appearance of Read More…
“Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon” is a product of the ’80s, but it was not made in the ’80s. It is the awkward yet bombastic product of a generation that grew up watching “Robocop” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” listening to synthpop and arguing about the quality of VHS versus Read More…
“Papers, Please” is a strange game in the absolute best sense of the word. It’s Soviet Union meets Berlin Wall, distinctly Slavic and decidedly communist. It’s tense and addictive. In the words of its creator, Lucas Pope, it’s a “dystopian document thriller.” “Papers, Please,” named for your character’s “catchphrase” of Read More…
Michael Bao’s friends call him Mikey, and on the weekends, they all play Mario games on the Wii. Bao, a second-year EECS major at Cal, is known for not being particularly good at Super Mario Bros. — but when it comes to making games, Bao’s friends turn to him for Read More…
Lara Croft wears a gray tank top, khakis and combat boots. She is known for her outrageously generous bust, but since her debut in 1996’s “Tomb Raider,” her proportions have become increasingly more reasonable and her figure more conducive to exploring tombs. She’s also extremely easy to cosplay, so when Read More…
“BioShock Infinite” is a unique game. This is not because it is one of the best games released within the past decade. Nor is it because it is the only piece of popular entertainment set in the period of early 1910s American exceptionalism. Nor is it because it features an Read More…
In listening to Ashley’s Internet radio show “A Life Well Wasted,” a show about “video games and the people who love them,” you probably will not learn much about the newest video games. You could call it “This American Life” for people who love video games, but even that wouldn’t capture the amount of editing and attention to detail Ashley puts into his show. Read More…
The problem with “SimCity” is that, in order to play it, gamers must be online and connected to EA’s servers.
The problem with EA’s servers is that they cannot handle the masses of people who want to play. Read More…
The most popular games in the eSports circuit are reliant on complex strategies, mixing precise micro-management skills with ridiculous amounts of tactics. Within each match is a battle that is determined by cleverness, multitasking skills and reading your opponent, and the result is an experience that mixes the bluffing style of poker, the balance of chess and the dynamism of football. Read More…
“Depression Quest” isn’t a typical game. It’s not even typical for an atypical game. Unlike convention-violating indie titles like “Journey” or “The Unfinished Swan,” “Depression Quest” isn’t artistic, captivating or even enjoyable. Rather, it’s a gray, text-based and emotionally draining experience about living with depression. “Depression Quest” casts the player Read More…