We grabbed a couple demos yesterday afternoon to see if we were missing anything, specifically Tenchu Z and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, and came away with the expected comic materials. I think Tenchu Z may get explored in a more robust fashion in Monday's strip, but after the loading is complete the demo flashes up one of those screens that is completely grown over with control instructions. It wasn't even an especially bad one, and there are very, very bad ones, like the one in the demo for StarFire Saga V: Laserion. It was merely an assault on the mind, paralyzing in its way.

Keek directed me to a radical (and potentially even "badical") article on BioShock over at Gamers Wif Jobs.  I've been wondering about the recent PR shift the game has gone through, because I don't just keep hearing that it is a "shooter first," but I keep hearing specifically that it is a "kick-ass shooter," even though it's a game where you learn about Objectivism underwater while helping jealous composers get revenge.  I've never doubted that the game will be great, by whatever road it reaches that greatness.  The recent WWE slant just had me curious about whether I'll be able to perform a suplex in-game. 

You may not think that is important, but it is totally important.

(CW)TB
 

Obviously there's a lot of you guys out there. A few million easy. I try very hard not to use the site for evil but occasionally I can't help it. This is one of those times.

On June 29th the iPhone drops. I know I know it's only 2G but let's all just agree that I'm a gadget whore and move on. I've spoken to a couple people at Cingular stores and what I'm hearing is that I have a better chance of giving birth this month than of getting my hands on one of these phones. So I'm turning to you. I'm not asking you to kill or riot (yet). I just need to know what I should do if I really want to buy one of these on the 29th. 

I could also use some help obtaining a Beautifly. I understand I need a Wurmple to evolve into a Silcoon. However that takes place at level 7 from what I understand and I can't seem to find a Wurmple lower than 10 or 11. I thought I might need to breed a baby Wurmple but then I still run the risk of it evolving into a Cascoon rather than a Silcoon. Am I on the right track with the breeding idea and if so is there anything I can do to ensure I get a Silcoon? Also I am a huge pussy.

-Gabe out

There are more substantive (read: impenetrable) tabletop wargames, but you can have a lot of fun with Clix if you are able to stop buying them long enough to actually play. Halo ActionClix have been announced for awhile, but when we sat down to write the strip yesterday we were looking over some pics of the final models and felt confident that we had discovered today's topic.

Metahumans, as the RNACorp Sensitivity Guide suggests, present "opportunities" that sometimes appear to be "challenges." They have unique contributions, often sharp contributions to the abdomen, that can bring value to shareholders.

Fabulous, life changing products are now available in our store.  I won't bore you with the testimonials - stalled, wasted lives virtually resuscitated but the power of our healing dorkwear.  I will simply present you with irresistible garb and then draw back, my noble purpose at a close. 



And, also



(CW)TB
 

The comic started out as a style guide for forums, similar to the recent style guide for gaming journalists - but while we were looking over the Lair boards at GameFAQs, we found that material already in place there was deluxe in every respect. We simply took the opportunity to elevate it.

But if you haven't seen it yet, you should - Street View in Google Maps.  Holy F-ing S.

(CW)TB
 

Given Gabriel's swayzophilia - currently controlled by medication - we couldn't really be expected to let this one go without comment.

I'm glad I spelled it wrong.  It means there may still be hope for me.

(CW)TB
 

it's a budew, not a bedew.

-Gabe out

I don't know how we've been able to avoid Pokemon for so long. It was only two weekends ago that Porkfry got a Pokedex for his birthday, and I can remember that as his palm slid affectionately over the cover that I shivered. A spiritual sight seized me, and from the thick manual I could see eight black legs wrap around his trunk. One side of the book was a plain of seeking red eyes, and from the other sprung twelve starving umbilicals that sniffed for new prey.

So the latest PC gamer should be arriving on news stands any day now if it hasn't already. This particular issue has a very early look at our game, On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode One. They actually sent one of their guys (Dan Stapleton) up to Canada to visit Hothead and get a first hand look at the game in development. Dan apparently liked what he saw because the resulting article is actually really positive.

This thing is pretty huge. 

I don't mean in terms of kilobytes - I mean it's packed tight with powerful features.  Upscaling of content has been in demand, and it's been delivered.  Like the 360 Elite, you need to be hooked up via a managed connection (i.e., HDMI) to upscale a DVD.  Past that, it will knock up your old PS/PS2 games  to 1080p, but the results we've gotten here haven't been supernatural - still appreciated, though.

The real flavor is elsewhere:  specifically, the ability to stream video, pictures, and music from "a DLNA compliant device," which you'll find just about every computer already is.  That's only half of it.  The Remote Play option of the PSP (the one that lets you enjoy certain types of content stored on your PS3 via your PSP) is deeply enriched by this capacity.  You can do this much already.  But with the next update for the Playstation Portable - 3.50, to be released before the end of the month - you'll be able to access your PS3 remotely via any wireless connection.  I must say, starting a download at home while I'm still at the office sounds pretty Goddamn good. 

Also, while we are loving the PSP, am I the only person enthralled by the idea of R-Type Tactics? 

(CW)TB
 

We attended the same Nintendo Media Summit you have seen reported elsewhere, in the hopes of seeing Super Mario Galaxy or Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - titles which are not minigame compilations, portable puzzle games, or games for my mom. I don't want to say that the complimentary breakfast and lunch were a factor. Let me say that we were hungry when we made the decision to go.