Electronic Gaming Monthly, Gamespot.com and Official Playstation Magazine are the sources for this week's news. So much gaming, so little time. Let's cut to the chase:
And the Winner is:
SpikeTV, the network formerly known as TNN, has announced the nominees for the first ever Video Game Awards. The awards show will air Dec. 4 and will feature performances from musical artists P.O.D. and DJ Funkmaster Flex, among others (Gamespot).
Categories include standbys like Game of the Year and unique categories such as Most Anticipated Game, an award for yet-to-be-released games. Viewers can influence the winners by voting online at the network's web site.
It's no Oscars, but we have to start somewhere.
Heir in Waiting?
The Gamer snuck a peek (courtesy of Gamespot) at the concept art for the Playstation Portable, or PSP, currently in development by Sony.
True to Sony form, the device is chic and stylish with an oblong rectangular contour. A glossy lacquer-like finish coats the entirety of the sleek handheld, including the concentric-circular four-way pad on the left. The now-trademark four symbol action buttons are placed on the right of the device and a 4.5-inch 16:9 letterbox LCD screen is prominently featured in the center.
The concept art shown does not hint at any trigger buttons or battery space, but does include a solid looking snap-on protective shell.
Whether or not this design ends up being the final one, the Gamer is confident Sony will create a competent Game Boy challenger with revolutionary entertainment and aesthetic value.
What's your sign?
Speaking of handhelds, there's a new kid on the block and its specs look to blow the competition away.
The Zodiac by Tapwave features a 3.8-inch screen boasting 16-bit color and 480x320 pixel resolution (www.tapwave.com).
Translation: this is one sick puppy.
A Palm OS 5 handheld, the Zodiac runs standard personal management software alongside MP3-playback andfeatures a great graphics package.
The device is shaped like a curvy slice of rye bread, if rye were dark gray and smooth. Four derivative action buttons on a raised circular plateau form a detached compass rose and the directional stick looks to be logical evolution of Neo Geo Pocket Color's critically acclaimed and widely adored click-stick.
The Zodiac plays normal OS 5 games as well as some mainstream hits like variations on Tony Hawk 4 and Spy Hunter in three-dimensions.
The Zodiac clocks in one cent short of 300 smackers, the same price point for the critically shamed and widely ignored N-Gage of yester week (which shed a hundred bucks off its sticker price less than a month after its release).
The Zodiac is available through the company's Web site and can be upgraded with four times the memory for an extra $100.
Why Not?
The recent release of Sim City 4: Rush Hour Expansion Pack got the Gamer thinking about the future of the Sim series.
Wouldn't it be cool if there were a Sim College?
You could charge tuition and put out competitive bids for new professors. Every year, college rankings would come out, your football team would win or lose and alumni donations, endowments, as well as application and enrollment rates would fluctuate.
Just think: It would be like Sim Coaster, but for higher education.
Actually, after writing all that down, like most Sim games, it doesn't sound so great.
By the way, if you're looking for what advertisers hope you think is Sims in Space, check out Space Colony for the PC, a new Sims-style game from Gathering and Firefly.
Dome Arigato, Square Enix
The Gamer is ecstatic over the extension of some of his favorite RPG series.
Square Enix of Japan is currently seeking beta testers for an unnamed Front Mission Online game (Gamespot), and fans of pseudo-real time battle and sweeping symphonic music should be on the watch for Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (EGM) to cross the Pacific for a Spring 2004 release in the U.S.
Also in Spring 2004, look for a 3-D addition to Namco's under-appreciated Tales series with Tales of Symphonia (EGM) for the Gamecube.
For gamers who hold the number 108 to heart, the latest iteration in the sidequest-laden Suikoden (OPM) series makes its way to Japanese stores next year. And Sony has announced production on Wild Arms Another Code: F (OPM) featuring new characters and battle mechanics.
Here's to hoping these sequels don't pull a Final Fantasy VIII.
Show Me the Money
According to their press release, Major League Gaming, "the preeminent worldwide console gaming league for professional video game players" in conjunction with Game Time Entertainment, "a newly formed independent media company," has put out the first in a series of videogame strategy guides on DVD.
The first dvG, as the discs are called, exhausts the possibilities of Tom Clancy's Rainbox 6 3 for X-Box. This product features Paul "Shizz" Baffi, an MLG pro gamer, who will guide viewers through the game using interesting and proven strategies.
The guide retails for $14.99 and is available now.
Soma for the Masses
If you didn't catch it, The League, the comic by The Cavalier Daily's own Jonathan Soma, ran a pair of strips on the seedy underworld of first-party pay-per-minute tip lines earlier this week. The Gamer, for one, could read this funny and poignant comic every day.
Gobbler on Grounds
Many gaming publications get in the spirit of the season by putting out a "Holiday Buying Guide." The Gamer will not subject you to such tedium.
Instead, the Gamer has chosen Thanksgiving as the theme for this segment. Thanksgiving provides us two things this year; Turkey and enough time for a marathon Final Fantasy X-2 session. With a Dual Shock 2 in one hand and a drumstick in the other, the Gamer asks you, what game is the biggest turkey of all time?
The Gamer will start the nominations with a personal letdown: The Bouncer for Playstation 2, a game that was supposed to be totally sweet with awesome graphics, an action-movie storyline and gameplay like the Matrix.
Instead, The Bouncer stunk like leftover stuffing and cranberry sauce come Christmas.
So as you sit at the bounteous feast this year, remember to be thankful for the many great games you've played this year and will play in the coming months, and winter break.
But don't forget to scorn those turkeys you blew fifty bucks on, only to have your humanity blunted by their abysmal failure to live up to expectations.
Send your Gobbler on Grounds nominations to Gamer@cavalierdaily.com. And talk to the Gamer. He wants to be your friend.
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