Comments on: This Week in Games: May 31 – June 6 http://www.gamesanityblog.com/2009/05/31/this-week-in-games-may-31-june-6/ Games from a Parental Perspective Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:55:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Mike Anderson http://www.gamesanityblog.com/2009/05/31/this-week-in-games-may-31-june-6/comment-page-1/#comment-24223 Mike Anderson Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:47:21 +0000 http://www.gamingwithchildren.com/?p=2470#comment-24223 @ GamerDad - completely agree on Red Faction! I said 'cool', not 'great' ;) I remember enjoying it when it came out, but as an overall game it wasn't particularly great. It was just a cool fun game. Red Faction 2, on the other hand, was really lousy - it felt like they had a game, but it was only ~2.5 hours long ... so they contrived an add-on plot that would carry them another couple of hours ... @ GamerDad – completely agree on Red Faction! I said ‘cool’, not ‘great’ ;) I remember enjoying it when it came out, but as an overall game it wasn’t particularly great. It was just a cool fun game. Red Faction 2, on the other hand, was really lousy – it felt like they had a game, but it was only ~2.5 hours long … so they contrived an add-on plot that would carry them another couple of hours …

]]> By: GamerDad http://www.gamesanityblog.com/2009/05/31/this-week-in-games-may-31-june-6/comment-page-1/#comment-24190 GamerDad Tue, 02 Jun 2009 03:45:27 +0000 http://www.gamingwithchildren.com/?p=2470#comment-24190 I am teh biased about Red Faction. See, I previewed the original at Volition Studios over in Champaign about 9 years ago. I did a Computer Games Magazine cover story on it and the game did not live up to what they showed me. I remember you could blow holes in walls and aside from that, it was mediocre. I'm surprised the IP got resurrected. Was Volition sold recently? GamerAddict - I'd say go to GameRankings for reviews. We ain't that quick and I mainly care about the kid factor. Mike - The Sims are best thought of as a petri dish or a dollhouse. You can control them, teach them and guide them. You can torture and even kill them. You can have kids and lose them to child protective services. You can run it on autopilot and just watch. Ultimately the game is a brilliant social experiment but boils down to a time management sim. Like real life the game is about balancing needs and wants. Don't use the bathroom? Enjoy the puddle and watch your sim's happiness plumet. Run out of money, well that TV will only entertaim for so long. The best thing I can say is that's one of the most important games ever and unlike most games of its kind, seeing the man behind the curtain (meaning, seeing how it works and being able to predict outcomes) is harder here. I am teh biased about Red Faction. See, I previewed the original at Volition Studios over in Champaign about 9 years ago. I did a Computer Games Magazine cover story on it and the game did not live up to what they showed me. I remember you could blow holes in walls and aside from that, it was mediocre. I’m surprised the IP got resurrected. Was Volition sold recently?

GamerAddict – I’d say go to GameRankings for reviews. We ain’t that quick and I mainly care about the kid factor.

Mike – The Sims are best thought of as a petri dish or a dollhouse. You can control them, teach them and guide them. You can torture and even kill them. You can have kids and lose them to child protective services. You can run it on autopilot and just watch.

Ultimately the game is a brilliant social experiment but boils down to a time management sim. Like real life the game is about balancing needs and wants. Don’t use the bathroom? Enjoy the puddle and watch your sim’s happiness plumet. Run out of money, well that TV will only entertaim for so long.

The best thing I can say is that’s one of the most important games ever and unlike most games of its kind, seeing the man behind the curtain (meaning, seeing how it works and being able to predict outcomes) is harder here.

]]> By: Mike Anderson http://www.gamesanityblog.com/2009/05/31/this-week-in-games-may-31-june-6/comment-page-1/#comment-24180 Mike Anderson Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:20:17 +0000 http://www.gamingwithchildren.com/?p=2470#comment-24180 I wish I could preview on Red Faction ... but since I'm PC only I'm out of luck until late August. I have actually been fiddling a bit with the original on the Mac lately, still a cool game! I wish I could preview on Red Faction … but since I’m PC only I’m out of luck until late August. I have actually been fiddling a bit with the original on the Mac lately, still a cool game!

]]> By: TheGamerAddict http://www.gamesanityblog.com/2009/05/31/this-week-in-games-may-31-june-6/comment-page-1/#comment-24179 TheGamerAddict Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:33:16 +0000 http://www.gamingwithchildren.com/?p=2470#comment-24179 Hmmm... I am looking forward to getting Red Faction: Guerilla tomorrow on June 2nd when it comes out. Though i wish you GamerDad or Mike Anderson would give a review of some sort or what not about it. To Mike Anderson: Since you said you wanted to try sims 3 i would agree with that. I have played the others or a few of them and they were pretty good. Hmmm… I am looking forward to getting Red Faction: Guerilla tomorrow on June 2nd when it comes out. Though i wish you GamerDad or Mike Anderson would give a review of some sort or what not about it. To Mike Anderson: Since you said you wanted to try sims 3 i would agree with that. I have played the others or a few of them and they were pretty good.

]]> By: Mike Anderson http://www.gamesanityblog.com/2009/05/31/this-week-in-games-may-31-june-6/comment-page-1/#comment-24153 Mike Anderson Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:08:08 +0000 http://www.gamingwithchildren.com/?p=2470#comment-24153 Very True, GamerDad! I have to admit that I have never played a Sims game ... but am seriously thinking about jumping on here. Very True, GamerDad! I have to admit that I have never played a Sims game … but am seriously thinking about jumping on here.

]]> By: GamerDad http://www.gamesanityblog.com/2009/05/31/this-week-in-games-may-31-june-6/comment-page-1/#comment-24147 GamerDad Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:41:25 +0000 http://www.gamingwithchildren.com/?p=2470#comment-24147 Sims 3 not only is released for PC and Mac at the same time - but in the same package. That's extremely useful for a Mac and PC household like mine. Sims 3 not only is released for PC and Mac at the same time – but in the same package. That’s extremely useful for a Mac and PC household like mine.

]]> By: Mike Anderson http://www.gamesanityblog.com/2009/05/31/this-week-in-games-may-31-june-6/comment-page-1/#comment-24101 Mike Anderson Mon, 01 Jun 2009 01:59:25 +0000 http://www.gamingwithchildren.com/?p=2470#comment-24101 Here is another: http://wiiware.nintendolife.com/news/2009/05/final_fantasy_iv_the_after_years_coming_to_wiiware_june_1st Here is another:
http://wiiware.nintendolife.com/news/2009/05/final_fantasy_iv_the_after_years_coming_to_wiiware_june_1st

]]> By: Cary Woodham http://www.gamesanityblog.com/2009/05/31/this-week-in-games-may-31-june-6/comment-page-1/#comment-24100 Cary Woodham Mon, 01 Jun 2009 01:33:45 +0000 http://www.gamingwithchildren.com/?p=2470#comment-24100 This looks pretty official: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wbClwJfshw This looks pretty official:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wbClwJfshw

]]> By: Mike Anderson http://www.gamesanityblog.com/2009/05/31/this-week-in-games-may-31-june-6/comment-page-1/#comment-24099 Mike Anderson Mon, 01 Jun 2009 01:27:48 +0000 http://www.gamingwithchildren.com/?p=2470#comment-24099 Hmmm ... that was how it showed up, but looking around more I can't find that confirmed *anywhere* .. so I wouldn't hold your breath! Hmmm … that was how it showed up, but looking around more I can’t find that confirmed *anywhere* .. so I wouldn’t hold your breath!

]]> By: Cary Woodham http://www.gamesanityblog.com/2009/05/31/this-week-in-games-may-31-june-6/comment-page-1/#comment-24076 Cary Woodham Sun, 31 May 2009 18:24:51 +0000 http://www.gamingwithchildren.com/?p=2470#comment-24076 Wait, FF4: The After is coming to WiiWare this week? Where did you read that? That'll be an instant download for me. I love FF4! --Cary Wait, FF4: The After is coming to WiiWare this week? Where did you read that? That’ll be an instant download for me. I love FF4! –Cary

]]>