Gaming news roundup, week of April 27
Ah, sweet summer. Everyone knows this is prime gaming season, since it's too hot to go outside, not to mention the tendency for responsibilities to fall by the wayside as the number of Otter Pops consumed steadily increases. It's a perfect time to catch up on last year's big releases as they begin to go on sale, or even rediscover the games of our childhoods for a hop and a skip down nostalgia lane. Speaking of which..
Anyone who wasted years of their childhood surfing up and down that
strip of beach next to Cinnabar Island in search of the elusive
MissingNo or turning in circles in the safari zone to chuck rocks at a
Tauros should experience a pleasant wave of nostalgia when they hear
this tune. And thus, I reveal that I know too much about Pokemon. Still.
Apparently
us everyday shmucks will soon be able to control everything from
pointless, unresponsive tech demos to electric fans that make small plastic balls float in the air using only our minds. Although I'm sure the implications from this technology
are very exciting, right now it just looks stupid as hell.
Soldiers in the
military are now using Xbox 360 controllers to aim rifles mounted on
remote-controlled helicopters. One commenter poignantly states, "Linking
an actual weapon to a common entertainment system may in some people's
minds make combat less personable," while another points out that
harnessing cheap civilian technology to takes soldiers out of harm's
way is a good thing. Naturally, everyone has an opinion, as the gap
between gaming and IRL-warfare continues to narrow.
This video made me literally lolz. Now we can only hope that the
goons at Square-Enix's localization station will take heed and do the
real Final Fantasy XIII translation like this.
Wow!
WoW gamers may soon be able to leave their houses again, as
this video proves that it is possible to run the MMORPG on an iPhone.
Granted, they'll still be safely immersed in the mystical land of
Azeroth, but at least the sunshine will do them some good. Mmm,
Vitamin
D. Let's hope none of them try to cross the street in the middle of a raid, though.
Disclaimer: Yes, I have played WoW, and yes, it sucks.
Konami recently decided not to publish the previously announced
"
Six Days in Fallujah," a game about the conflict in Iraq which,
according to
this article, replicates certain events there pretty damn
accurately. I'm guessing amidst all the hubbub surrounding the initial
announcement someone whispered "too soon!" into the ear of a Konami PR
rep.
-- Mike Rougeau