Emotive Pixels Newscast

Join the text version of a single Mass Effect side-mission, Mako-free, here in Drew Karpyshyn's debut prequel to Mass Effect.The theme this week is "Cracks" by Clamm, a free album download from chipmusic.org.

Active from 1999 to March of 2016, we (Craig and resident racing nut Nate) hope you haven't forgotten the contributions of famed British racing developer Evolution Studios. And to wit, we've reviewed 3 MotorStorm titles, and the infamous Driveclub. We won't spoil much here, not even the plot of Apocalypse, but we will talk at length about the physics and overall appeal of each game. And we also discuss The Crazies. And Slam. And Pendulum & Monument Valley and other great places, most of the rest of them digital but not entirely fantasy.We even reference Split/Second, which is the first time that game has ever been mentioned, ever, let alone by us! RIP Black Rock too.Plus, a new segment!: Would this game be better with mechs? (The answer is always yes.)We also cover the odd link between Evo boardroom conversations and Fast & The Furious.The theme this week is "Red Riding Hood" by Klamm, from chipmusic.org.Cover image (website only) is, unaltered, from Driveclub's photo mode, courtesy our host. Protip: put your PS4 into PNG screenshot saving mode.

Join us this week for an unpredictably-temporally-allocated game of the year discussion spanning unpredictable bounds of time - for here, we aren't reviewing games released in 2015, but instead games we've uploaded podcasts about in 2015. There's 29 items to be voted upon and the vast majority of them slide by like buttered diskettes gliding down an icehill, but the in the final three discission becomes clogged and horrific, like a 6-car pileup sliding down a buttered icehill. We also play a game wherein we assign one game to each person in the group; what fits them most, what really matches up with someone, you know? I, the omnipresent but conspicuously absent Producer Or Editor Person, am given Cities: Skylines, with so little fanfare that I don't honestly think anyone even spent a full mental thought cycle on it. For the other group members, things take a slightly devious turn. All this and more in this, what would turn out not only to be a great year for us, but a great year for games as innovation, accessibility, and representation soar to new heights that we are somehow still reminded are only just the beginnings for this industry and us younguns here in Seattle & Denver. Southpark: TSOT - Brian PachuckiHotline MiamiUncharted 2 Among Thieves Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc - Alberto Orejel MalfavonUntil DawnSpec Ops: The Line - Craig Schuemann, Tyson LambertHer StoryUncharted: Drakes Fortune - Will AtkinsonMiddle Earth: Shadow of MordorShovel KnightSunset Overdrive - Pauly KrollThe Vanishing of Ethan Carter - Tien-Ju YuBastionHotline Miami 2: Wrong Number - Sy Donovan-SmithFar Cry 4Everybody's Gone to the RaptureWalking Dead Season 2 - Megan PaulsonFrog FractionsDevice 6 - EstebanThe FallSim City 5Cities: Skylines - Nate StevensEndless LegendThe Order: 1886Sins of a Solar Empire - Matthew SassuCivilization: Beyond Earth - Geoff GariandoUplinkFallout ShelterNCIS: The Video Game

Come join us as we reminisce about our sojourn to the wondrous world of Benaroya Hall in downtown sunny and heatwave-drenched Seattle as the boys (and two girls) ventured into the halls of retromancy (wait... not what that means) and modernity. Uematsu and Hama-isuzutrooper are at their heights this week! Topics include which FFs are our favorite, which we [haven't] played, which ones have the best OSTs, which videogame music podcasts you should listen to (just kidding, we didn't talk about this but I have a couple), and which games we want to play just based on the FMVs we saw as each game was being showcased behind the orchestra - a question we were inspired to ask by having seen Zelda performances elsewhere. These truly are some master works, some of the defining works that will last beyond many other pieces of the medium's finest productions, perhaps even outliving a world in which "Final Fantasy" is a common household franchise to namedrop. Some say Uematsu is regarded as a celebrity in Japan, and some of these pieces - especially some of the earlier ones, say some in our group - really bring that point home. Relevant links! Nobody knows who that is: Ross GellerPenny Arcade: Annarchy (this is hanging on Will's wall y'all)Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children - Tifa vs. Loz Relevant podcasts! Super Marcato Bros.: A Videogame Music Podcast (lots of retro and really knowledgeable folks about scores)Train Station at 8: also A Videogame Music Podcast! (also videogamey, a bit more interviews and more unpredictable)

Join us this week for a detour from game reviews right into topical discussions as we cover the Sunday and Monday of E3 2015! We review the Bethesda, Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft, and Sony press conferences, with each of us speaking to our passions, then we rate each show as a whole. We get into some depth about most of the releases announced, so this is as much editorial content as there is summary. It's a good year, surprisingly earnest even from the big boys. Check out our summary, even if you didn't catch the shows!

News: 1. Uncharted 4 will have multiplayer, also new details about the game's story have emerged. http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/01/06/uncharted-4-will-have-multiplayer http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/01/06/naughty-dog-discusses-uncharted-4s-story-and-life-after-the-last-of-us 2. In an interview by GameInformer Neil Druckmann creative director of Uncharted talked about the direction and development of the game. http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ps4-uncharted-4-will-be-more-personal-probably-won/1100-6421635/ 3. Lizard Squad brought down XBox Live and PSN on Christmas day via a DDoS attack by exploiting routers. http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/25/7449471/xbox-live-and-playstation-network-are-having-problems-on-christmas-day http://www.gamespot.com/articles/here-s-what-sony-is-offering-to-make-up-for-playst/1100-6424433/ 4. PS Now service for PS4 pricing details and release date announced. http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/01/05/this-is-how-much-ps-now-subscriptions-cost 5. Evolve lets players on Xbox One skip grinding by pre-order digital copy of the game for $60. http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2015/01/10/evolve-lets-xbox-one-players-skip-grinding-with-60-pre-purchase/ 6. Halo 5 is adding Stongholds and Rocket Launcher in the 3rd and final week of beta. http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/10/halo-5-beta-adding-strongholds-mode-rocket-launcher/ 7. Destiny leak shows major expansions are coming: March 10th and in September. http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/01/05/alleged-destiny-leak-reveals-possible-2015-expansion-plans 8. Xbox One opens up 50-80% of 7th core of CPU to devs by forgoing voice commands (kinect). http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2015/01/04/microsoft-opens-up-more-cpu-power-on-xbox-one/ 9. Sony has exceeded 18.5 million PS4s with 4.1 sold during holiday season. PS4 is on track to beat PS2 sales which sold 150 million for the console's lifespan. http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/01/05/playstation-4-sales-exceed-185-million-worldwide 10. Nintendo to end direct sales in Brazil at end of the month due to import taxes. http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/10/brazil-nintendo-exit/ 11. Rogue Legacy coming to Xbox One sometime this year. http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/09/rogue-legacy-coming-to-xbox-one-sometime-ish-this-year/ 12. Microsoft released new rules governing Let's Play and Streaming of Microsoft properties. http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/01/09/microsoft-announces-new-rules-for-streaming-and-lets-play-videos 13. Microsoft claims no change to DRM policies on Xbox One. http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-makes-new-assurances-on-xbox-one-drm-pol/1100-6424559/ Game Reviews (Bold is platform game was played on by reviewer): Will - Played 2 games: 1. Plants vs. Zombies 2 (iOS and Android) - 8 out 10 2. Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward (Playstation Vita and Nintendo 3DS) - No rating (game not finished) Alberto: 1. Never Alone (Playstation 4, Xbox One, and PC) - 9 out 10 Brian 1. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (Playstation 4, Playstation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC) - 9 out 10

The Emotive Pixels games of the year: Will Hotline Miami[1] Lego Marvel Superheros[2] Assassin's Creed IV - Black Flag[3] Brian Sunset Overdrive[4] Uncharted 2 - Among Thieves[5] Brothers[6] Alberto Brothers[6] Gone Home[7] Never Alone[8] Nate (Most Special) Never Alone[8] (Best Production) Endless Legend[9] (Most Fun) Forza Horizon 2[10] Our most disapointing games: Alien Colonial Marines[11] Gone Home[7] Voice Commander[12] Watch Dogs[13] Civilization - Beyond Earth[14] The games we wished we'd played Shadow of Mordor[15] Shovel Knight[16] Wolfenstein - The New Order[17] Darksouls 2[18] Also a super special thanks to Mitchell Dillard[19][20] for providing us with podcast music! [1] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009GKT2Y0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009GKT2Y0&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=HOLXACT7DRKFL5I7 [2] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DUARDFC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DUARDFC&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=64VNIDFRXHMGOXWC [3] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BMFIXT2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00BMFIXT2&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=646JBUXDF4GQ5EYV [4] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M31VIOG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00M31VIOG&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=RZF43WI6FIVSIY76 [5] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002I0F5I2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002I0F5I2&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=3ESTZ3ZCWSV6NZOV [6] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FQPQGSY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00FQPQGSY&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=VLMGYCO5CMZ2EQG4 [7] http://store.steampowered.com/app/232430/ [8] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P9QGNEM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00P9QGNEM&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=FKPYK3AXPE5ZDR5J [9] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JWZ2480/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00JWZ2480&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=MUNS5NU3SUHFELDA [10] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KSR396C/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00KSR396C&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=IEPS355PKFBUHZCO [11] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005THAX5Q/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005THAX5Q&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=KRUV3SUEIWZZEYJM [12] https://store.xbox.com/en-US/Xbox-One/Games/Voice-Commander-a-Microsoft-Garage-project/0cb1ab17-55e9-4925-a55c-f6edb332e40b [13] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BI83EVU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00BI83EVU&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=4ELS3N7Q4FUAZOD6 [14] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JLK6ULS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00JLK6ULS&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=TQNXOMH7OJ34MW7C [15] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GMFKYK8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GMFKYK8&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=MN6T3VMCGKMBC7OL [16] http://store.steampowered.com/app/250760/ [17] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DHF39KS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DHF39KS&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=OINU3GH6RW7ZPJKP [18] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006YDPU48/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006YDPU48&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=XBRKPH4QWWIYDZMR [19] https://twitter.com/mitchelldillard [20] https://www.facebook.com/mitchell.dillard

This discussion is the first of many about the news and games of the day. In this first recording we discuss two topics: our take on how we rate games and this year's GamerGate scandal. Our discussion about ratings started by Nate bringing up a discussion first inspired by Polygon's Quality Control Podcast[1] (the Bayonetta 2 episode), the thesis of which was that a perfect score is not necessarily an indicator of a perfect game but 'the highest recommendation a game can recieve.' Brian was leaning more in the other direction - that a perfect rating is in fact an indication of a perfect game and as such is exceedingly rare (if not impossible). Will's opinion was a bit less defined but he ultimately felt that we should attempt to rate across the spectrum of a full 10 point scale. To gain some perspective on our ratings, we talked about what some of our all-time favorite games are. Nate accused Will of having a 'big budget bias' when he brought up Mass Effect 2[2] and Half-Life 2[3] and countered with Myst[4] and Pokemon Crystal[5]. Will came back with some lower budget games: the classic Ghostbusters[6] and Magica[7]. Sadly though, not everything is coming up roses in late 2014, and through the eye of the GamerGate 'controversy' we take a glance at Anita Sarkeesian, the threats made against her, and her Kickstarted video series 'Tropes Vs. Women in Video Games'[8]. Our views on the entire debacle are somewhat tempered by Polygon's Letter From the Editor[9]. We then took a look at it Bayonetta 2[10] and how it was both feeding and fighting the problem. From GamerGate to the wide issue of rating systems, we hit the rounds, but never fear - this is just be the first conversation of many. [1] https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/polygons-quality-control/id925059601 [2] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TORSII/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001TORSII&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=KLUYSKFPLL3A2BLW [3] http://store.steampowered.com/app/220/ [4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myst [5] http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Crystal_Version [6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ghostbusters_video_games#Ghostbusters_.28Activision.29 [7] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004JN176K/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004JN176K&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=G3U2W7KSWGL3W4B2 [8] https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn4ob_5_ttEaA_vc8F3fjzE62esf9yP61 [9] http://www.polygon.com/2014/10/17/6996601/on-gamergate-a-letter-from-the-editor [10] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DC7G1WE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DC7G1WE&linkCode=as2&tag=emotpixepod06-20&linkId=D472VSSFZGW6CZ5D