JJ and his amazing friend Scott C. from NeedCoffee.com sit for a second chat. After the two get past the usual small talk, they begin a conversation that starts with theater and ends with the singularity. It’s a no holds barred look into why the education system fails and why we should all have an easy secret place to take that special someone. The countdown to 100 is upon us folks, and we are racing there!

Thanks to NeedCoffee.com for loaning us Scott C.

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The original Dead Rising game was nothing short of a masterpiece of the horror genre. If you’ve never played, it’s essentially like being dropped into George A. Romero’s classic zombie flick, Dawn of the
Dead. You play the role of Frank West, a reporter trying to uncover the truth about the outbreak as well as saving as many survivors as he can along the way. It’s fun, the story is compelling, and best of all
there are thousands of zombies to be killed. In a mall.

The only issue with the game is that it is extremely difficult for non-hardcore gamers to complete
the ‘true ending’, and saving all of the survivors is next to impossible. If you’ve done either of these
things, I salute you. Personally, it took myself and two friends a sleepless weekend, various internet
guides and a lot of patience to complete these tasks.

These issues have all been perfectly remedied in Dead Rising 2. Set in Fortune City (which is New Vegas
but I guess that title was already taken) you play the role of Chuck Green, a motocross-racing single
dad. Also, your daughter is infected and you have to give her Zombrex every 24 hours to keep her from
turning. I don’t want to say any more about plot in this game, because frankly it’s as good if not better
than the original and should be experienced firsthand.

Tons of improvements have been made in terms of gameplay, the key one being a far easier schedule to keep in terms of completing all of the cases to reveal the main plot. The levelling system is also much quicker due to the PP boosting addition of combo weapons – pretty much the best part of the game. Fifty unlockable weapons are available, which are assembled by Chuck out of various objects. From nail- embellished boxing gloves to dynamite laden arrows, the zombie killing possibilities are nearly endless.

Unlike the original, the use of quickstep drinks is not mandatory in order to complete the plot on time –
though it does help tremendously while attempting to rescue all possible survivors, including Snowflake,
a 3 year old Bengal Tiger. Many walkthroughs and achievement guides are available online for this
game, but the following tips I will provide are a good spoiler-free introduction to DR2.

1. Easy quickstep – You can make quickstep drinks (which make you run faster as well as restoring five bars of health) at the bar in the Americana Casino. Just pick up some wine at the bar, which is of unlimited supply, and place two in the blender on the counter. You can make as many of these as you can carry, and they come in quite handy – especially later in the game.
2. Books worth grabbing – There are a few choice books you can find at various locations within Fortune City. For saving survivors, the leadership book located on the desk in ‘One Little Duck Bingo’ on the Silver Strip is indispensable. It increases the speed of survivors being led by Chuck, as well as improving their skill with weapons. If you plan on gambling, getting all three gambling books dramatically increases your winnings. The first is located on the second floor of Royal Flush Plaza, on the floor in ‘Ragazines’. The second is in ‘Stan’s’ on the second floor of Palisades Mall, and the third is behind the desk at the back of the Shamrock Casino on the Silver Strip.
3. Getting backup – Arming your companions is all well and good, but taming Snowflake is an excellent way to get backup as well as a really cool, though completely irresponsible gift you can give your daughter. Snowflake is located in the Atlantica Casino. After dealing with the psycho she is with, all you have to do is get Snowflake to eat three pieces of steak. You can bring these with you, or get them in and around her pen. Take care not to hit her, as you are attempting to refill her health bar. This takes a bit of patience, but as long as you clear out the distracting zombies around her pen and place the steaks where they are easy to see, it is not too difficult to accomplish. Once you have backup, always keep their health up by giving them healing items – this will keep them from defecting and attacking you.
4. Combat – The best weapons for fighting Psychopaths are Claws (boxing gloves + bowie knife) and Tenderizers (MMA gloves + box of nails), though pretty much any fast weapon will do once you are a high enough level. For large hoards of zombies, the Paddlesaw (chainsaw + kayak paddle) or the Defiler (fire axe + sledgehammer) are great.

-Mary Hoffman

Massive sandbox style games have become progressively more and more common. We have ones set in the old west, fantasy lands, inner cities, and probably just about anywhere else. This game style leads to some problems, such as getting absorbed in the free exploration to the point that the story is lost or forgotten. Kirby’s Epic Yarn doesn’t worry about these issues as the gameplay harkens back to a classic game style of 2D platforming.

The first thing that stands out with the game is the art style. All the textures, backgrounds, and even characters are made of fabric. This is one of those times when just by looking at something in a game I can envision exactly how everything feels. Besides weather related scenes in games, I’m not sure I’ve ever really been compelled to think of any tactile response just from visuals. This style of background also lends itself well to being a 2D platformer. Now in fairness, the game is not completely 2D as there are times that you can go behind bits of fabric so it’s more like you are playing on a true fabric map. This kind of 3D aspect lends well to the idea this fabric world is real. Kirby is interacting with fabrics as if he really did move behind it or something causes a ripple in the fabric.

The story mainly unfolds at the beginning and between levels. It’s not really a complex story as all there is to it is the idea that Kirby has been pulled into a yarn world and is trying to get back. Taking a page from Yoshi’s Story the game is presented in a storybook fashion. During the cutscenes that movie the story along there is actually a narrator. The guy they got to do this is one of those guys you envision reading to kids. Any character he reads for he gives a different voice and the entire time he talks with a very soothing tone. Compared to Yoshi’s Story the narrator really adds that extra touch to the storybook theme.

Now the gameplay is fun and easy. This really does play out like an old school platformer. You can pickup the controls in no time. Because of this the first level being a tutorial on how to move around was pretty insulting to older gamers. Later levels when the controls would come up made sense however as these were specialized control schemes. Another part that makes the game way too easy is the inability to die. If you fall down a hole or are attacked you can lose the gems you collected but that’s all you’ll lose. This does tie into the replay value though as each level has three hidden items to find and based on the number of jewels you collect there are medals awarded.

The replay value of this game relies on the idea that you did not take the time to collect everything. The further into the game you get the harder this actually is. On top of this there are five types of mini-games to play through that count toward the 100%. This ranges from 13 to like 20 levels per type. The racing mini-game was my favourite but by far the easiest. The other opportunity for replay value is in the two player mode. It is far more likely you went through this in one player so playing again with a friend might be some fun. I say might because it may be frustrating for some people.

The more mature gamer is probably going to be put off by the childish graphics. If the case is that the graphics keep you from playing a game then you either are probably not good at platformers or you’re not secure with yourself. Just get over that attitude though because this game is divine and one that you can come back to just for a good time.

– Jasmine, founder of Super Happy Sparkle Onigiri Brigade.

During the last two generations of consoles there have been many articles that made a big deal out of Nintendo’s focus on family friendly games. The main claim was that Nintendo was alienating hardcore gamers by pandering to casual gamers. Now when these articles were written I took immediate offense as a fangirl, but then I thought about it and I’m not sure they are wrong but at the same time not right.

Instead of saying that Nintendo panders to casual gamers, I’d instead like to point out that Nintendo never really focused on hardcore gamers. Thinking about the original Nintendo Entertainment System, the games were so simple you really had nothing more than casual games. Very few games could save and others simply implemented a password system. These games were rare to Nintendo and therefore really only left room for games that could be picked up and just as easily put down.

Next was the Game Boy. I’ll basically say that the portable systems are just that. They are made to go with you and not really meant for the hardcore games. Yes, some of the games, such as the RPGs can be time consuming and somewhat addictive, but I still wouldn’t consider them hardcore.

Now I could go on through every Nintendo console but instead let’s just look at their franchises. We have Pokémon and Mario which are clearly cartoony from day one and geared toward younger audiences. Now it’s not to say that there aren’t any hardcore franchises because of course they have Metroid. This especially became “hardcore” on the GameCube when it went from side-scroller to first- person shooter. There is also Legend of Zelda but they seem to bounce between being for children and more recently teenagers. These games are of course not for the casual gamer but at the same time they aren’t impossible for an average gamer.

Now where I think most hardcore games are coming from are actually third parties. Think GoldenEye, which was Rare, or Resident Evil, from Capcom. Yet since the other systems have become more and more prevalent, third-party support seems to have fallen at the wayside. Well, maybe not fallen at the wayside, but taken a cue from the current interests and also focused on family friendly casual games. Now there have been recent attempts to port some hardcore games to the Wii from the other consoles but this is difficult. The Wii’s control scheme is completely different from other systems. So this makes it expensive for companies to port hardcore games and instead they focus on the safe games such as the gimmicky mini-game filled ones that currently make up much of the Wii’s library.

I don’t actually mind casual games. The idea of having time for long games and work and social life seems a bit much. However if you want to complain about Nintendo’s lack of hardcore games maybe we should direct it at the third party companies that seem to have abandoned the company.

– Jasmine, founder of Super Happy Sparkle Onigiri Brigade.

Turns out, you can’t have too much of a good thing when it comes to the Fallout series. When I first heard about the latest installment, New Vegas, I really wasn’t sure if I had 100 plus hours to spend completing another game as immersive as this. After all, I’d spent countless (well, not countless seeing as the game keeps track, but too many hours to admit anyway) playing both Oblivion and Fallout 3. This being said, my initial reservations were quickly cast aside as more information became available about what Fallout: New Vegas had to offer – and having now played it let me assure you that it is fantastic.

Right from the beginning, New Vegas sucks you in with an intriguing plot line and *spoiler alert!* your character – known at this point only as ‘Courier’ – being shot in the head, buried, and exhumed by a robot. You are then taken to a Doctor – at which point you are able to create your character. In New Vegas, the leveling system is slightly different from Fallout 3 as you select your traits right at the beginning and earn perks every two levels. All in all, the tutorial is a lot quicker and gets you into the game a lot faster than the Vault 101 ordeal in Fallout 3 – or the even more painstaking dungeon escape in Oblivion. Another major difference in New Vegas is the role of karma, which though still present is not nearly as important as reputation. If you earn a high reputation in a town, you will get perks such as receiving gifts from townsfolk. If you earn a bad reputation in a town…I’m sure you can guess what happens.

One of the other sweet improvements in New Vegas is the ability to mod your weapons. Each weapon you own (other than unique weapons) can have up to 3 mods – such as increased damage, extended mags, and scopes. The melee and unarmed attacks have also been improved by way of unique moves that are unlocked as you level up – and for a gore lover they are pure win. Combat with a companion is also much easier in New Vegas as they have added a ‘companion wheel’ which though lame sounding is useful as it allows you to easily tell your companion to attack or retreat as well as heal or swap items very easily. Different companions will also have different strengths and weaknesses – such as certain weapons they are proficient with…and other weapons they are not so proficient with.

Here in Ontario, some retail stores were giving away copies of Mad Max on DVD with the pre-order of Fallout: New Vegas. At the time of purchase, I noticed this and scoffed – wondering if it was some misguided ploy to restore Mel Gibson’s tarnished reputation by reminding us young folks of the good old days (well, 1979) when Mel was on top of the world – albeit a lawless, post-apocalyptic one. After playing New Vegas and meeting some of the various factions such as the good guys: The New California Republic (NCR) and the bad guys: Caesar’s Legion…the Mad Max connection became much more clear – though to some degree I am sure it was just a good way for these stores to blow out DVD copies of Mad Max which I’m sure are in abundance right now. Either way, I didn’t get a free DVD.

Gambling is another new feature of the game, no surprise – and though caravan is no liar’s dice (Red Dead Redemption) it is pretty fun, and you can also play old standards such as roulette and blackjack. Oh, and did I mention it looks completely awesome? Though it is run on the same engine and is in the same style as Fallout 3, New Vegas is just easier on the eyes and has a lot of great landmarks – my favorite being a store in the shape of a giant T-Rex. The improved landscape and the presence of plant life brings back the survivalist element to the Fallout series…it’s no longer just scavenging (though theres plenty of scavenging to be had). Everything is useful. You can even make stimpaks by combining the necessary ingredients (One broc flower, one xander root, and an empty syringe) at a workbench (there’s one in the basement of the Repcon Test Facility in the Mojave Wasteland).

You’re going to need a few of those stimpaks if you decide to play New Vegas on hardcore mode. In this mode, you will face dehydration, starvation and sleep deprivation (and their consequences) if you do not attend to your characters’ basic needs. You can still quick travel, but not if you will die in the time it would take you to reach your destination. Stimpaks and radaway work over time as opposed to instantly. Otherwise weightless ammo has mass, and otherwise immortal companions can die. Oh, yeah…you also can’t heal crippled limbs yourself – you need a doctor.

Though it sounds like a bitch, this is a really great way to up the difficulty of a game. After all most games just add more, tougher enemies to accomplish this. More complex games may even have a timed element. Ever get the Mile High Club achievement (or trophy, whatever) for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare? If you haven’t attempted it, it is for beating the final level on the highest difficulty, Veteran in about 24 seconds – a nearly impossible task that takes even the best gamers quite a few tries to complete. Hardcore mode in New Vegas is a totally different approach that requires thinking, planning and strategizing on a level far beyond any other game out there.

Many of the developers other than those at Bethesda had had prior experience with the Fallout series at some point or another. New Vegas was developed by Obsidian Entertainment, founded by Chris Avellone and Feargus Urquhart – who both worked on Fallout 2. The development of New Vegas was led by J.E. Sawyer who was also the lead designer of Van Buren, a cancelled version of Fallout 3, set in the American Southwest. It was made by Black Isle Studios, and cancelled in 2003.

If you haven’t gotten your hands on a copy of New Vegas yet (sorry, Europe…and Japan) you should definitely check out the developer diaries for New Vegas, available on Bethesda’s YouTube Channel. The Vault is also a great resource for all things Fallout. I also highly suggest reading the Fallout timeline.

– Mary Hoffman