Snakes On A Plain Biscuit

You’ve seen the movie Snakes On A Plane, right? No, me neither. It is by all accounts a terrible film however, that only got made due to internet hype that never translated into ticket sales. A shoddy unprofessional effort, that somehow snagged Samuel L. Jackson so it had a professional, talented face to show to the world. This reminds me of the games industry, and its laughable attempts to convince governments and mainstream media that it mass produces valid art.

Me, you, and the fanboys

So, my first article for Critical Gamer attracted a fair amount of attention, both here and at N4G. It’s nice to be noticed – even by sociopathic nerds.

That doesn’t tell the whole story, though. First of all the majority of comments that referred to me directly were somewhat negative. Secondly, most of the comments on N4G didn’t refer to me and, to be honest, most of them didn’t even acknowledge the existence of my article. I had inadvertently set off a mini fanboy war between PS3 and 360 zealots, which seems to be even easier than I had suspected. I repeat the sentiment of my previous article: people are idiots.

Bend over and take your pricing

To recap: if you complained about Modern Warfare 2′s pricing and paid so much as a single penny more than you usually would upon release, you’re stupid. If you complained about the PS3′s release price but still paid it, you’re stupid. If you’re complaining about the Xbox Live Gold price hikes but have already resigned yourself to paying them, you’re stupid. If none of this applies to you, don’t worry. I do not doubt for a second that I could find several examples in your purchase history that would emphatically prove to my satisfaction that you are stupid.

A Link To The Past

Demand more of an education from your games.

Critical Talk: The first Critical Gamer podcast has landed!

We thought that there weren’t nearly enough podcasts on the internet, so we’ve started our own. Hurrah! In this, our very first podcast:

* Shake your fists! As you agree or disagree with the Modern Warfare 2 vs Bad Company 2 opinions within.
* Nod your head sagely! As three of us have our say on the prospect of PlayStation Move and Natal.
* Get Excited! As we discuss LittleBigPlanet 2.
* Scratch your head in confusion! As you hear how the British will overthrow their government via the sale of biscuits.

Critical Talk is hosted, edited, and produced by Steven (who also wrote the intro music). He is joined here by Michael and Anthony.

Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package Hits PS3 Today

Stimulus Packages for everyone! The Modern Warfare 2 Map Pack has arrived on PS3 today.

Yet More Losses At Infinity Ward

In what continues to be one of the messiest break ups in gaming history, Activision’s Infinity Ward has seen more key staff members quit their jobs amidst continued cries of subterfuge on one side and unpaid dues on the other.

Easy Does It

Look at Heavy Rain. Even if you choose the highest difficulty possible you can’t fail in a way that requires a restart, and it’s actually quite difficult to get your character killed without trying for the most part – and even if that happens, the game continues. A game where you’ll never, ever be forced to go back – easy. What’s that you say? My supersonic radar will help me. BEEP. Oh, replay value, you say? Multiple endings, hmm? Yes, you’re absolutely right – but it doesn’t make the game any less easy, does it?

Happy Campers

By the end of the six hours, however – despite mixing up team members, and trying every game mode including Deathmatch, Search and Destroy, Headquarters and Sabotage – nobody had scored any kills, or earned any points at all. Most confusing; I can assure you that everybody had picked an excellent camping spot, no matter what the map.

Games & Violence: A study in action

TV ‘supernanny’ Jo Frost returned to UK TV screens in February, with her new show ‘Extreme Parental Guidance’ on Channel 4. The first episode is of interest to us all not because of the young girl who refused to eat nothing but sugary snacks, nor because of the genuinely heartbreaking case of a twelve year old girl who refused to leave the house without piling on make up. Besides these cases, a study by Professor Doug Gentile into the possible link between videogames and violence in children was featured. Several clips of the study itself were shown, and give us a revealing insight into how at least some such studies are conducted.

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