If you missed it the first time, or want to re-live your favorite moment, here is the one thing that even Batman could not stop from escaping Arkham Asylum. It’s the podcasted version of the Got Game show for Sunday, June 28, 2009.

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/podcasts/got_game/gg-20090629.mp3]

This week we caught up with Bryan Del Rizzo from NVIDIA who explained to us how easy it is to bring 3D gaming into your home, Today!

And as usual we had trouble fitting all the information from this past week into a single hour. We gave you the needed knowledge, but if you want to expand your 3D horisons, check out the extended interview Zack, Momin and I did with Bryan Del Rizzo.

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/Bryan-Del-Rizzo-GG-20090629.mp3]

While we were there, we also had a chance to speak with Marco Nalli who represents Samsung Canada. He broke down the workings of the Samsung’s 2233RZ, a 120 Hz LCD monitor, that also happens to be one of the 4 corner stone of this 3D technology. However, he can probably explain it far better than I ever could, so I will let him do the talking. You can find Zack’s interview with him below this sentence.

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/Marco-Nalli-GG-20090629.mp3]

Although, if you are sitting there thinking, I have no idea what they are talking about, I would suggest that you start with our coverage of 3D gaming in this blog post.

During last week’s show we also had a chance to talk with Patrick Kane (cover athlete for EA’s NHL 2010) and John Tavares (1st overall pick in the 2009 NHL draft). Here they are holding the cover of the next installment of EA’s hockey juggernaut.

Sadly, we ran out of time, so we did not play our entire interview with Mr. Kane; but fear not for it is here below this sentence, from start to finish, for your listening pleasure.

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/Patrick-Kane-GG-20090629.mp3]

Sure, the movies may have been pretty weak… but The Punisher as a character has always been pretty cool (even if Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane and, to a lesser extent, Ray Stevenson haven’t been able to nail down the true feel of Frank Castle).

Come Thursday (July 2) for only $9.99 you can get your own chance to punish the wicked (if you’ve got a PS3 hooked up online).

Check the trailer below:

FEATURES (as seen on punishernomercy.com)

• First-person arcade action set in the Marvel Universe

• Online Multiplayer for up to 8 players

• Six multiplayer game modes (Vigilante, Team Deathmatch, Punish the Punisher,
Elimination, Time Trial, Survival)

• Regular and Elite Online Tournaments with special rewards

• Eight Marvel characters, each with their own stylish costumes

• An armory of 15 devastating weapons, each with its own set of lethal upgrades

• Over 10 almost superhuman special abilities, often turning the traditional hunter and
hunted settings upside down

• Story mode through 4 increasingly challenging levels, also available for 2 player co-op
multiplayer play

• An exclusive Punisher story brought to life by artist Mike Deodato

• Skirmish mode against computer-controlled opponents on 8 different levels

• Over 100 unlockables (Trophies, Levels, Characters, Appearances, Weapons, Mods,
Comic Pages, Tournament Badges)

• Voice chat via compatible USB devices

• Motion Sensor Function support

==

Punisher: No Mercy is rated M for Mature

If you had asked me on New Years Eve if PC gaming would still be around in 2010, I would have told you to stop bugging me and let me enjoy the party; but if pressed for an answer I would probably have said that PC gaming died when the Xbox360 and PS3 were released.

However, after what the Got Game crew saw recently, I am not totally sure if PC gaming is going to go the way of the dinosaurs after all. You see Samsung and NVIDIA are partnering up to put console gaming in it’s place by offering the public true 3D gaming out of the box.

Samsung does this by bringing their new 120Hz LCD monitor,  the 2233RZ, to the table.

And NVIDIA seals the deal with their GeForce 3D Stereo Glasses.

Together they provide actual 3D gaming that works right out of the box… well, almost. As with all PC gaming, “right out of the box” is a relative term. Before you can game in the 3rd dimension, a few things will be needed.

However, chances are good that your computer is already 3D compatible (and all you need are the glasses and monitor). I would suggest checking out NVIDIA’s website for the specific requirements, but if you’ve purchased a computer in the last year or so, then you should be good to go. Getting the glasses and monitor will not be that hard either, because 2 or 3 websites are currently offering them as a bundled package for as little as $626.

Now the big question is will 3D graphics be enough to bring the masses back from console gaming? I honestly think that it’s too early to tell either way; because, both sides have their pros and cons.

On one hand, console gaming is true out of the box gaming. Buy it, plug it in, and play; it’s that easy. The only negative side to consoles is that we are officially locked into a 10 year console life cycle. A life cycle that we are not even half way through yet, so what you see in your consoles games today, is what we are stuck with until around 2015.

On the other hand, PC gaming is a pain in anyone’s rear end to get working. The average computer is a Frankenstein monster of parts that usually refuses to work together, and it’s also more expensive then console gaming. However, PC games can continuously improve on sound, graphics, and general game play. 3D graphics could just be the tip of the iceberg in regards to what PC gaming could offer us between now and 2015.

In the end, I would simply say that the next time you’re in a position to buy a new platform for your gaming needs, don’t run out and buy a console automatically. Take a second to ponder the fact that true 3D gaming is not science fiction anymore; it works today.

Yeah, it was a pretty epic day.

Not  only did we get to play NHL 10… but one of us (Ken) got to play, and beat, John Tavares.

I’ll  let K-Rod tell the tale, but it’s safe to say we’ll talking a LOT about this game in the near future.

It looks the same, but plays and feels quite differently from it’s predecessor.

Attending the unveiling, we got to speak to both Tavares (left) and the man on the cover, Patrick Kane.

We got to watch them capture the in game face-models of these two… meaning you’ll get to see some variation of this, every time Tavares scores a goal…

Stay tuned for Sunday’s show (5pm), when we’ll break down everything we saw… in the meantime, here are our interviews with Tavares and Kane… and then watch them duke it out, with NHL10′s new fighting scheme.

Zack Cooper with Patrick Kane:
[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/patrickkane-zc-20090622.mp3]

Ken Rodney with John Tavares:
[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/tavares-kr-20090622.mp3]

Hey again!

As always we should probably start with an audio link, so below this sentence you can find the one thing in the world that even Donkey Kong CAN NOT smash with a barrel: the Got Game show for Sunday, June 21st, 2009.

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/bc-gg-june-21-20090621.mp3]

On this week’s episode we talk about interesting news out of Sony and Activision as well as bring you reviews on four games fresh on the market: Rock Band Unplugged for the PSP, Ghostbusters, EA Grand Slam Tennis and Virtual Tennis 2009.

We also touched on the pros and cons of a new controller for Wii, and like we promised here is a picture of is the new Wii bowling ball controller. Gaze on it, and imagine the destruction it will cause. If Wii-motes have been known to break TVs when accidently tossed into them, just imagine what damage this slick surfaced sphere can do.

We also got more news on the upcoming football game, BackBreaker. If you haven’t checked out this game yet you really need too. Here is a quick video to show off why BackBreaker is going to be so special.

As always if you have thoughts or suggestions for the show please drop us a line at gotgame@fan590.com.

K-Rod and I  got the chance to speak to Rob Donald, associate producer of “Back Breaker”, for NaturalMotion – the people behind what appears to be a pretty ridiculous football game due out… well, listen to the interview to find out what we did.

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/Back-Breaker-ZC-20090615.mp3]

That’s the entire thing… we’re probably going to need to chop it down for air (Sunday at 5pm, peoples!).

Photos are cool and all… but how about some sweetass video footage??

We’ll definitely be keeping tabs on this game…

Let us know your thoughts.

-Z

This week Got Game is on time and sublime. If you don’t listen to it. you have committed a crime… now you can see why I work on a radio talk show and not as a rapper.

However, none of this matters when compared to the fact that below this sentence you can find the one thing in the world that could beat both the The Tortoise and the Hare in a fair race: The Got Game show for Sunday June 14th.

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/June-14th-Show-gg-20090614.mp3]

In this week’s episode we:

1. discussed the week’s top gaming stories.
2. reviewed both Tiger Woods PGA Golf 2010 and Prototype.
3. took an in depth look at EA Grand Slam Tennis.

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And we still managed to find a few minutes to talk about a new football game called BackBreaker. As you can see from the video below, the hook of this game is that none of the tackle animations are canned. Every tackle you make will be different based on what happens in the game-space.

No one on the show this week was really excited about this new football game, but we all agree that while this first attempt may not be great, it will be the first good step in creating the next generation of sports related video games.

However, every week there are things that we can’t fit into our 1 hour show, so I would like to mention them here:

• Microsoft’s new addition to the Halo franchise was originally expected to cost less then the normal $60-ish price tag due to the short campaign it is rumored to offer. However, now sites like EB Games and Amazon.com are pricing it at $60.
• Staying with Xbox news, I have a treat for anyone who owns a 360 but has never played the Telltale Games version of Sam & Max. Telltale’s Sam and Max games will be ported from the PC onto the 360 this week. The 6 episodes of the first season will be packaged together as one game and renamed Sam and Max Save the World, and will cost $20 worth of Microsoft points. Now as someone who has already played it, I can’t recommend this enough. Just get it now and thank me later.
• According to the UK based gaming site VideoGamer.com, EA has confirmed that they are working on Mirror’s Edge 2.

By: Ken Rodney 

The Major League Baseball season is nicely underway but if you are like me you hold on to your NHL and NBA simulators until those playoffs have wrapped up before moving into the summer sports.  Well that time is now upon us and with that in mind here is my review of MLB 09: The Show.

In talking to baseball video game fans, and I try to do this as much as possible, people have told me that realistic statistics are the hallmark of a successful game.  The Show has done a great job of creating exactly that experience.  Don’t expect your light hitting number nine middle infielder to have 65 bombs at the break, your team is going to play true in this game so choose your squad wisely.

Roster updates have become such a huge part of these games now that we’ve moved into the next generation of gaming and once again The Show does not let you down.  I personally like to play with the local nine and when I downloaded the latest update I was happily surprised to see my lineup and roster perfect including the change they made at the closer position.

The commentary is dynamic and that is very important when you are playing a season that can reach into the 180 game range.  Usually by the time you reach the halfway point of the season you know exactly the tone and inflection of everything the commentary team (in the case of this game Matt Vasgersian on play by play, Dave Campbell colour and Rex Hudler third man in the booth) are going to say.  While I’m sure this game is no different, your ears are going to perk up constantly when they mention things so specific to situations it’s actually scary.   I allowed my pitcher to field a pop up and they ripped my middle infielders for not taking charge or my number three hitter swung at the first pitch after the two preceeding hitter were retired on one pitch each and they let him have it for almost causing a three pitch inning.

Really it’s an entire TV experience they try to provide from a game opening to defensive lineups and umpires, players walking on and off the field between innings.  The presentation of this game is something to behold it’s really a very well done job of setting the baseball atmosphere.

Ahh but this should leave you with one question….how is the game play?

While I have to admit to being a bigger fan of The Show’s presentation than gameplay I think I’ve left enough room to be a big fan of both.  The movements aren’t choppy and the players react the way they should to fielding ground balls and fly balls and the action of throwing.  The pitcher movements are mapped very nicely and the hitters stepping in and out of the box create a real game feel.

Length of play is the one bad thing I have to say about this game.  Even when you skip through as many of the animations as you can and get down to the game it seems to take way too long to play an entire nine innings.  If you are someone that likes to play more than a game at a time put on some coffee because you are going to be playing for a long time in one sitting.   I tried to find a way to make the pitcher throw the next pitch a little faster but it didn’t happen.  If that sounds like a deal breaker for you back away from this one because you will be frustrated quickly and often.

I’m a big fan of this game, I haven’t purchased a baseball video game since 2005 and anyone that knows anything about the MLB baseball video game market will know what changed that season.  This is the first game that I’ve been able to say, ‘put down that 2005 game and give this one a spin’.   

Also if you are on the Playstation network look me up (K-Rod79) and challenge me and my Toronto Blue Jays to a game or send us an email at gotgame@fan590.com and tell me some of your baseball stories.  The baseball video game community is one of my favourites and I’d love to take any of you on in a game.

Rating: 8.0

Sorry we’re a little late with this one…

Here is the show in all it’s glory…

Extended interviews from our E3 special.

Please enjoy… and as always, your feedback is always appreciated.

Thanks

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/got_game-zc-20090607.mp3]

If the show sounded a little rushed…  that’s because it was.  Our interviews were essentially lopped in half due to time constraints… so if you want more from any particular conversation… here they are:

Sony stuff via Kyle Moffat:

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/gg-kylemoffat-20090608.mp3]

Microsoft stuff via Jeff Rivait:

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/gg-jeffrivait-20090608.mp3]

…and the full wrap-up from Dan Hsu, from bitmob.com:

[audio:http://qml.quiettouch.com/files/radio/fan590/hotaudio/gg-danhsu-20090608.mp3]

And as Bryan mentioned in the show, here is the Scribblenauts video that he wanted to post. He just can’t wait for this game!

I’d have to say that the final day of E3 is my second favorite part of E3 (only behind the press conferences that are held by the Big 3 during the first day). That’s because you learn so many cool things on this day. During the first day all the big announcements happen. Not much happens on day 2 that we didn’t already know about, but every year on the 3rd day a number of cool little announcements get released and this year was no different.

We found this on the UK’s Mirror News page earlier today. It looks like the Wii will not be that far behind the Xbox in terms of competing with Project Natal. Actually, it looks like the Wii may be a little ahead of the Xbox with the brand new Your Shape fitness game; a game that will ship with a camera that can track your body’s shape and movements.

The Your Shape game doesn’t seem to be offer the same level of camera control sophistication that Microsoft’s Natal does, but from what we can see in the trailer below, this camera already has the basics of something like Natal built in. With this amount of control already built into the camera, I can imagine that it will not be that hard or take that long for Nintendo to truly get on even ground with Project Natal.

That’s not the only jockeying that happened today. In a strange turn of events it was announced that the Wii and PSP Go will be exchanging skins… in a sense. Today Nintendo said that a black Wii will go on sale sometime after August 1st. However, for now it seems like this new black Wii will only be sold in Japan. Sony on the other hand will drop a white PSP GO on the inhabitants of North America, but if you are afraid of change (like I am) a standard black version of the GO will be avaliable for sale as well.

Fallout 3 will get even more DLC with 2 new expansion packs being added to the 3 already released. Along with Operation Anchorage, The Pitt, and Broken Steel; players can look forward to Point Lookout, and Mothership Zeta. While only surface details are available at this point it looks like Point Lookout will take you into a swamp to fight never before seen enemies and find brand new allies. Mothership Zeta on the other hand will be your standard alien abduction affair. You can look forward to Point Lookout coming out on June 23rd, and for Mothership Zeta to invade our planet sometime in late July.

Some other quick notes are:

• Microsoft chose the last day of E3 to let the cat out of their 10 year console life span bag.  Xbox360 support is expected to last until at least 2015.
• 2K Sports officially declared that Kobe Bryant of the Lakers will be on the cover of NBA 2K10.
• Activision is suing EA over who has the rights to release Brutal Legend.

There were also some games announced at this E3 that you may want keep an eye on for many different reasons:

1. Wet (short for wetwork or spywork) is a game were you kill with style. Acrobatics is a big part of how you get around the game, and pick off the bad guys. However, everything I have seen of this game has reminded me of John Woo Presents Stranglehold.  In Stranglehold, acrobatics are also a huge part of how you move around, but don’t jump for joy yet because that game managed to make shooting a guy while jumping over a table boring. So while I am willing to hold back my final judgment until I play this game; I can’t really find it in my heart to get excited about Wet just yet.

2. Scribblenauts is a DS game that is… well to be honest I don’t know what it is. At least I don’t know how to classify it. This is a game so unique that it is a genre in and of itself. A game so original that there is no single word to describe it.

The basic idea is that you use nouns to summon objects to help you solve puzzles, and from what little I have gotten my hands on it, looks like an extremely fun time that anyone can enjoy.

3. M.A.G. (or Massive Action Game) is not your standard military based first person shooter (FPS). It’s like the Battlefield franchise in many ways, except for the fact that this is the first FPS to let up to 256 people play together in one game on one map at one time.

4. APB (short for All Points Bulletin) can basically be boiled down to an online game of cops and robbers. There is a little more to it then that, but not much. The game certainly has a GTA 4 feel to it, but could only be compared to GTA, if GTA had a co-op mode for the campaign.