Driver: San Francisco

I'm several hours into Driver: San Francisco, and it is a weird, wild, and off-beat little game. It's also an incredible amount of fun.

The original Driver was way ahead of its time, and was one of my absolute favorite games on the original PlayStation. Two years before Grand Theft Auto III revolutionized open-world gaming, Driver gave you a wide-open city (four, in fact) to just cruise around in as stuntman-turned-undercover officer John Tanner, picking up missions at will or just seeing how long you could evade the police. That seems old hat now, but in 1999 it was a revelation. It also had an incredible "Film Director" mode, that allowed you to record your car chases from different angles and even edit clips together. I don't remember seeing a feature like that on consoles again until Halo 3. Like I said, ahead of its time. Subsequent entries in the series didn't fare quite as well, aping the more complex GTA series with some ill-advised on-foot sequences, but the original still shines like a beacon in my memory.

This Week in Games - 9/7

Sine Mora

I wrapped up Transformers: Fall of Cybertron this week. I may or may not write about it. Bottom line: on a technical, graphical, gameplay level, it made big improvements...but the story left something to be desired. I am enjoying the multiplayer, though. Driver: San Francisco is my next game, and I have already started writing a post about it; expect that very soon. I also picked up Sine Mora on the Xbox Live Deal of the Week. It is a gorgeous game, in more ways than one, and you should get it while it's still on sale.

I was afraid to love again, but I find myself getting more and more excited for Halo 4. I especially have high hopes for the Spartan Ops episodic co-op mode. I mean, look at this trailer. GAZE UPON IT AND BE AMAZED. But for maximum enjoyment, I'm gonna need a regular crew to roll with. I know Joseph P. Buzzkillington will have my back. Anybody else interested, shoot me a message.

The ongoing DRM wars enter an interesting new chapter.

I really have to get my ass to PAX one of these days.

See below for AWESOME.

This Week in Games - 8/31

I kind of want this. How tight do you think security is at Nintendo World Store?

A hilarously educational Reddit thread on suspensions for offensive names and language in Guild Wars 2. Because watching the banhammer fall is always, always entertaining. Plus I love companies that emphasize transparency and communication with their customers.

This article is just great.

First, this harsh critique of ads on Xbox Live. Then, another body blow about their unasked for "political coverage" on the dashboard. Now, this blistering comparison to PlayStation Plus. I'm beginning to feel less and less pleased about giving Microsoft my money.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Even cyborgs love bourbon.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a game with amazing ideas, but some annoying design decisions hold it back from achieving true greatness. I'm maybe 10-12 hours into the game, past Detroit and maybe halfway through Shanghai. Not far enough yet for a final judgement yet, but certianly enough to get a good idea. (Unfortunately the rest is going to have to wait until I'm done with Transformers: Fall of Cybertron.) There's a lot here that I love, but a lot holding it back as well.

This Week in Games - 8/24

It is Transformers week, people. Fall of Cybertron dropped on Tuesday, and I have been all over it like an Allicon on energon goodies. As you may recall, I loved the first game, got pretty excited about the demo for this game, and have a general obsession with all things Cybertronian. I have been steeping myself in all things Transformers for weeks now-- reading the classic comics, grabbing the new FoC toys, and watching the surprisingly good Transformers: Prime. Point is, I finally get to play as Grimlock. My life is complete.

Video games in ukiyo-e style!

It's always interesting to watch big companies grapple with new business models. It's also frustrating to hear their constant complaints about piracy.

Please enjoy this blast of pure '90s.

This Week in Games - 8/17

I'm going to try something new. Clearly, I have trouble committing to anything like a regular schedule, probably because I can't resist making my posts into Tolstoy novels. But I should at least be able to post some links to articles that other, more talented, more organized people have written. Each Friday I will (try to) post a few of the most interesting articles I read that week.

Darksiders II (above) released this week. I played the first game not too long ago, and this sequel is one of the few new games I'm excited about this year.

Inside pictures of a GameStop refurbishment center. See inside the belly of the Beast!

I wasn't even aware of Sleeping Dogs until its release this week, and now suddenly, it dominates my waking thoughts. I did a study abroad in Hong Kong, and I still think of it as "my 'hood." While the game isn't exacly GPS-accurate, the idea if a meaty-but-focused open-world Hong Kong crime drama is pretty damn appealing. The money quote: "This is what Grand Theft Auto might feel like with a good editor."

EA is exploring a sale. That seems weird to me. Like saying the state of Delaware is for sale.

Do you know Extra Creditz? You should. The last two episodes were stellar.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Early Demo Impressions

I hadn't intended on pre-ordering Fall of Cybertron, even though it's one of the few games this year I'm really excited for. As you may recall, I enjoyed the first game quite a bit, but right now I am literally up to my ass in new games to play so I was intending to save this one for later in the year. But GameStop suckered me in with their Generation 1 Retro Pack preorder bonus. Just look at Optimus up there, in all his original cab-over glory! GameStop, you know far too well what brings me to the yard.

So I skipped into town yesterday to trade some stuff in for the preorder, and included with it was early access to the FoC demo. I had no idea about this until the clerk told me, but it was a pleasant surprise. Of course, the demo is live today for everyone, but that shall not dull my triumph! With the benefit of an entire half day of extra time with the demo, I have some early (and generally favorable) impressions to share. Hit the jump for more.