Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Demo Impression: Tomb Raider Underworld

 



Downloaded this over the weekend. The graphics are phenomenal. I have never played Uncharted: Drake's Fortune but I think this title on the 360 looks as good as that title on the PS3. However the camera is not my friend. It gets hung up a lot when you have to do jumps. In the demo you're taking a lot of leaps of faith, not unlike another heroine in a big title this fall. I hope that gets fixed. This video is from Gamespot and provides a behind the scenes look at the game.

Demo Impressions: Mirror's Edge



Recently the demo was made available for the PS3 and the 360. I took a run through the demo last night and was impressed. Once you get the hang of the controls, Faith's movements are pretty fluid and there is an impressive sense of speed as you move through the demo. If you're prone to motion sickness you may want to sit further back from your screen unless you're playing on a smaller TV. It was a little unsettling at first when you're getting your bearings. I didn't play the demo to the very end, but I did like the look and controls so much that I don't think I'd be disappointed when I do get a chance to play through. The attached video is a commercial but it highlights a lot of the action available in the demo.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Remembering Michael Crichton

Michael Crichton passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 66.

From Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch blog:

"There's a line between our awe of science and technology, with all the possibilities they offer us, and our fear of same, that the sense of control they offer is a lethal illusion. Few authors made that line their own as skillfully -- and as profitably -- as Michael Crichton. The author/screenwriter/director, who died Tuesday at age 66, had a knack for finding and exploring hot-button issues in his techno-thrillers -- sexual harassment (Disclosure), epidemiology (The Andromeda Strain), airline safety (Airframe), the importation of Japanese business culture to the U.S. (Rising Sun), nanotechnology (Prey), global warming (State of Fear), and of course, genetic engineering (Jurassic Park, The Lost World, and Next)."

The rest of the article is an excellent read. Unfortunately, his personal website doesn't appear to have active links but the wikipedia has great information if you want to learn more about him.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

NBA Jam: Secrets behind the original arcade phenomenon



Boomshackalacka! NBA Jam was probably the best sports video game behind Tecmo Bowl in its day. Crazy insider information about how the game dissed Scottie Pippen and the haunting of Drazen Petrovic.

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