This month in Joystick Division - December, 2011

The unbeatable backlog [Infinite Ammo]
Like many gamers, I have a backlog that would probably take years to actually get through. But should I beat myself up over it?

Pining for the days of scarcity [Infinite Ammo]
Back in my day, we were thankful if we got to play a game or two a year. We also had to walk to the video game store. Up hill. Both ways. In the snow.

Dark Souls hates me, and that's why I love it [Infinite Ammo]
Dark Souls is easily one of the most difficult games to every grace consoles. Find out some of my favorite ways the game pulverizes the player, and why I keep coming back for more.

Farewell, sweet multiplayer [Infinite Ammo]
Multipalyer gameplay and I have grown apart over the past year or so. Here are my thoughts on a relationship that, as of late, harbors little love.

This month in Joystick Division - November 2011

Uncharted 3 proves third time's the charm - Review
Uncharted 3 is out and, yep, it's fantastic. Read all about it here in my review for Joystick Division.

The funneth overfloweth: Rayman Origins review
Find out why Rayman might be the single best platformer to come out in a very long time.

Video game journalism deserves a bit more respect [Infinite Ammo]
I make the argument that, while it may not be the romanticized version of the gig we all have in our heads, video game journalism deserves some respect.

Are video games mainstream yet  [Infinite Ammo]
My first Infinite Ammo column for Joystick Division dives into video games' rise to relevance.

Linear gameplay- In defense of a guiding hand [Infinite Ammo]
I argue that, if it's for the good of the story/experience, we shouldn't be so hard on linear design in our video games.

This month in Joystick Division - October 2011

Rochard rocks hard - Review
Find out why I dug this puzzle/platformer and all its low-gravity, mind bending goodness.

inFamous: Festival of Blood a Halloween treat - Review
Find out why inFamous fans will want to head back to New Marais to take on a vampire horde.

Fighting with physics: An interview with Rochard's Hulu Virtanen
Recoil Games treated gamers to a great side-scrolling physics-based puzzle romp with Rochard. Hear about the game's origins, development and more from Lead Designer Hulu Virtanen.

Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken doesn't quite soar
It looks great and pulls off all the basics of puzzle platforming/shooter well enough, but a lack of original ideas kept me from being too impressed.

READ MORE>>

Amy's guiding hand, Paul Cuisset [via Joystiq]

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing game director Paul Cuisset (VectorCell) concerning his studio's upcoming downloadable title, Amy.

Paul shared details about the game's origins, development, and how he hopes Amy will help bring the survival horror genre back to its roots.

The story has been published by Joystiq and can be found at the following link:

Interview: Amy's guiding hand, Paul Cuisset

This Month in Joystick Division - Sept. 2011

The holiday window is too narrow for all of these games
In which I pose the questions "What would be so wrong with releasing more of these AAA games throughout the year, rather than all at once?"

Eternal Darkness - Lessons learned from a decade-old game
I dove into the Gamecube's Eternal Darkness recently and, man, the video game landscape sure has changed in the past 10 years.

Blood on the walls - An interview with BloodRayne: Betrayal Art Director Matt Bozon
Matt Bozon discusses BloodRayne: Betrayal's unique aesthetics, how it evolved through development and why it looks so damn good.

Five franchises that would make good fighting games
As the fighting genre makes a comeback, I look at a handful of existing IPs that might translate well into fighters.

Resistance 3 review - A reason to keep fighting
Here's what I thought about Insomniac's latest alien-infused shooter. Spoiler: It was pretty great.

READ MORE>>

This month in Joystick Division - August 2011

The Lord of the Rings Online - My Journey Home
Hopping into LOTRO after a long break, a return to my first days of play stirs up some unexpected emotions.

Top 10 vampires in video game history
Vampires have gotten a bad rap in recent years. I take a look at 10 from video games that remind us why blood-suckers can be awesome.

Video games: There's no escape
No matter what device you're fiddling with, chances are you can play video games on it. I ponder how gaming continues to seep further and further into the mainstream.

The 5 worst mission types in video games
From the fetch quest to the escort mission, we ponder why these tired staples of gaming remain in our favorite titles.

10 of gaming's most memorable songs
It's hard to get into a game if it doesn't have good music. Here are 10 of the best songs to ever appear in a video game.

This month in Joystick Division - July 2011

Top 10 worst video game box art
Check out some of the video game box art designs of all time. Fair warning: It’s about to get ugly.

Chinese couple sells children to fund gaming lifestyle
Believe it or not, these types of people actually exist. It's a sad, sad world we live in sometimes.

 Five games to play during Comic-Con
Can't hit the road to Comic-Con this year? Play these five comic book games instead.

Remembering the good ole' days of gaming
How an obscure Japanese cooking game called Ore no Ryouri helped me remember the simpler days of my gaming life.

Microsoft Pours $15 Million into U.S. Classrooms
Microsoft looks to help improve the U.S. educational system by providing funding for equipment, training and more.

READ MORE>>

This month in Joystick Division - June 2011

Uncharted 3 beefs up its online offerings - Hands-on
Naughty Dog has injected a whole lot of "stuff" into the Uncharted online experience. Find out how it's shaping up.

The top 5 biggest babies in video game history
Babies pop up in video games from time to time, usually as some demented monster looking to kill you. Check out the five best video game babies here.

inFamous 2 Review
Find out why I think inFamous 2 pulls off the concept of "karma" better than any other game on the market.

E3: Press conference report card for The Big Three
Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo each had their moment in the spotlight during the 2011 E3. Here's what I took away from each event.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim steals the show at E3
Bethesda's newest Elder Scrolls game looks to improve on Oblivion in every way.

READ MORE>>

This month in Joystick Division - May 2011

Paper Cuts shows off creative gaming art
Check out these awesome shadow portraits of characters from all over pop culture.

PlayStation's Welcome Back Package: A look at the games
Need help deciding which free games to get once the PlayStation Store is back up and running. Read up on your options here.

Terraria will ruin your life (in a good way)
Terraria released on steam last week. Find out why I've already sunk 24 hours into this more action oriented, 8-bit homage to Minecraft.

MotorStorm: Apocalypse an explosive good time
I got to spend some quality time with the PlayStation 3's latest extreme racer, tearing up the tracks in a world that is literally falling apart around you.

3DS Fan gets Altered Reality Card tattoo
This extreme 3DS fan took his love of the portable console to a whole new level, opting to permanently tattoo his left wrist with one of the images that activates the Altered Reality games.

Sony responds to the US House of Representatives
Following the PlayStation cyber attack, Sony looks to be facing multiple legal battles, including a not-so-happy House subcommittee.

PSN Outage - Gamers talk back
Check out some of the buzzing going on around the interwebs regarding Sony's hacked servers and the events that followed.

Sony offers identity theft protection
As Sony works to rebuild its servers, get the details on the latest branch of their apology package here.

READ MORE>>

This month in Joystick Division: April 2011

Free Realms sugary sweet, great for the right age group
I spent a few days with SOE's latest family-friendly free-to-play MMO and report back with my findings.

Top 10 Video Game T-Shirts
If you're going to wear a shirt, it might as well be a cool one. Check out 10 of the best video game shirts the world has ever known.

10 Badass Video Game Tattoos
These folks have already worked past the questions of whether or not video games are art and permanently inked said art onto their bodies.

10 PSP Gems You May Have Missed
Sony's portable console is home to loads of great games. Before the NGP buzz starts building, here are 10 classics that may have flown under the radar, but definately should be played.

PSN Still Down, No ETA on Fix
Following an attack on PlayStation servers, PSN has remained down for about a week with little word on a fix or what, if anything, was compromised.

Top 5 Hardest Video Game Bosses
These guys are the reason controllers get broken, TVs get busted and swears get shouted.

This month in Joystick Division: March 2011

A protagonist, but not exactly a "good" guy

The top five movies based on video games
In honor of the Oscars, I take a look at the video game movies that were the most enjoyable; or, more accurately, those that sucked the least.

Supremacy MMA brings women into the fight
Women fighters finally get their chance to stand in the spotlight and kick the crap out of each other thanks to the upcoming Supremacy MMA.

Kinect to connect with PCs
Microsoft opens up Kinect's features for the PC so even more creative mods can be built with greater ease.

The top five protagonists we love to hate
From Nico to Kratos, these protagonists aren't exactly the hero type.

Mortal Kombat brings the pain- Hands-on impressions
Judging by my time spent with the game, Mortal Kombat is shaping up to be a fighting fan's dream come true.

READ MORE>>

Curtains down.

I've been doing my best to avoid this post for three months now, but there's no point in drawing it out any longer: staticEchoes.com, as it currently exists, is closing shop.

I began this entertainment blog a few years ago in order to practice a type of writing style my 9-to-5 journalism job doesn't lend itself well to. It also gave me the chance to write about the stuff that truly interests me: Movies, music, video games, comics, etc.

With a full work load and a second job writing for joystickdivision.com, I find those needs are now being filled elsewhere and, sadly, I no longer have the time to commit to staticEchoes.

Starting today, you'll notice the blog's mission statement has changed; as now it will primarily serve as an archive for the bigger pieces I write for JD. In the event I put together some freelance work for another entity, this is where I will document that as well. Think of it as a digital resume'.

It seems oddly appropriate that this, my 500th post on staticEchoes.com, wrap up what has truly been a three-and-a-half year joy to put together.

None of this would have been possible without you readers, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for going on this journey with me.

staticEchoes as it used to be may return some day but, for now, it's time to ride off into the sunset.

Thank you once again for joining me. Be excellent to each other.

Monday mini-movies: Boxing cat edition

I’ve always held that violence on television doesn’t hold any real sway on the behavior of any half-normal, decidedly decent human being.

As for cats, well, they were already pretty crazy to begin with. Now, as this video proves, some are crazy AND learning how to put up a decent fight.

I don’t know about you, but I think I’m gonna go prepare for the now certain enslavement of the human race by a highly trained group of feline oppressors. Tootles.

Movies to miss in March

I'm clearly not the target demographic for most of this month's un-recommendations, but that doesn't mean I can't spot a crappy piece of cinema from a mile away. Here's the rundown of what not to see in March.

Beastly
I usually try to avoid looking at reviews before I blindly bash these films, as it kind of takes all the fun out of predicting whether or not they'll be terrible, but I couldn't help it with Beastly. According to the consensus, while love is never ugly, movies certainly can be. My favorite comment pretty much verifies what I feared this film would be: "starring 20-year-olds playing 17-year-olds penned as 12-year-olds." Lovely! And for you 13-year-old Twi-Tweens out there, you get two movies aimed at cashing in on your adolescent emotions in one month! I give you...

Red Riding Hood
This one's actually directed by the guy who directed the first Twilight film. While taking more of a fantasy approach, Red Riding features an emotional yet strong young woman who is torn between two love interests, both hunky dudes and one who might be a murderous creature of the night. This is just shameless.

Take Me Home Tonight
You're better than this, Topher Grace. Or, at least I hope you are. Take Me Home Tonight is about 10 years late to the party. These movies were all the rage back at the turn of the century but, unless you have something new to offer (which TMHT doesn't appear to), I'm not sure why anyone would even bother.

Mars Needs Moms
Aside from just looking unfunny and uninteresting in every way, I think what scares me away from Mars Needs Moms the most involves the infamous uncanny valley. Most of the animations look cartoony, which is fine. But the animators clearly used some sophisticated face-tracking tech for their characters, making it look like an almost human face is talking in the middle of a silly character. It gives me the heebie-jeebies.

Games to get in March

March is here and the constant stream of (hopefully) quality games continues to flow freely. Here are the titles that should be somewhere on your radar for the next 30 days.

March
6th- Pokemon Black/White Version (DS)
8th- Dragon Age II (PS3, 360)
15th- Homefront (PS3, 360)
15th- Yakuza 4 (PS3)
15th- Okamiden (DS)
22nd- Dissidia Duodecim Final Fantasy (PSP)
22nd- Crysis 2 (PS3, 360)

Apparently the market hasn't hit its FPS threshold just yet, as two more big titles for the genre make an appearance in March. Mid-month will bring the intriguing and primarily online-driven Homefront with a mere seven days separating this gritty shooter from the over-the-top craziness of Crysis (It Looks so Purdy) 2.

The DS has a couple solid offerings in March with the latest Pokemon (we're still doing this?) and Okamiden on the horizon. If the portable counterpart to the PS2's charming Okami can be even half the game of the original, gamers on the go should be in for a treat.

Then there's Dragon Age II, which I probably don't have to talk about. If this is your cup of tea, you already plan to drink deeply of its action-RPG goodness.

83rd Annual Academy Awards: Ryan calls it

Tonight's the night for Hollywood's brightest stars to come out and shine...Or so I'm told. All I know is I love movies and comparing my favorites from the previous year, which is why the Academy Awards have always held a special place in my heart.

Say what you will about awards shows in general, there's a great feeling that comes along with seeing one of your favorite stars or films get recognized for their achivements. Plus, the occasionally have something worthwhile to say when making their acceptance speeches. *fingers crossed for an F-16 reference*

Following are my predictions for this year's winners. While I did see the majority of films nominated this year, I unfortunately have to take a pass on such categories as Foreign Film, Documentary and Short Film. Otherwise, let's get to picking some winners.

READ MORE>>

This Week in Joystick Division

Jan. 30-Feb. 19
The Leading Ladies of Video Games, 2010
I take a look at some of the best roles for women over the past 12 months. Video games have finally gotten to the point where sexy eye-candy isn't the only reason to have a female in the cast and these are five of the best from 2010.

The Top Video Game Voice Actors
As games evolve, so to do players' expectations of the quality they'll have packed onto the disc. But it doesn't matter how much fun the gameplay is or how well the story is written, if you can't get behind the characters, it's going to make for a rough experience. Thankfully, amazing voice actors, like the five highlighted here, are making sure our games are full of fantastic performances.

Modern TV/Movie Hits Made into Classic Video Games
One artist answers the question: What would today's big movies and television programs look like if they were turned into video games for the Atari?

Mirror's Edge 2 Canned
One of the few truly creative titles of this current generation won't be getting a sequel, it seems. I use this opportunity to take a couple shots at an industry afraid of to champion originality over the all-powerful dollar.

Bethesda's Epic RPGs: Am I Playing Them Wrong?
Bethesda is known for making massive RPG adventures set in even more massive worlds full of people to see, creatures to fight, civilizations to explore and an untold number of activities to distract from the main storyline. Despite diving deep into Fallout 3 and Oblivion, I never actually finished either game due to getting "lost" in their worlds. This leaves me questioning how I play the games.

Monday mini-movies: Sleepless in Seattle edition

In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd post one of my favorite parody trailers that shows off what can happen when movie promotions go horribly wrong.

Once a wonderful romantic classic, check out the Sleepless in Seattle that could have been...

Review: Dead Space 2

Dead Space 2 does most of the things a sequel should do, and it does these things very, very well.

In short, the team at Visceral took the formula that worked so well in the first game and pumped in more of it. While this new nightmarish journey doesn’t take many risks, add too many new ideas or manage to scare quite like the first game, what we’re left with is a big, mean action experience that keeps the blood pumping and the occasional creeps crawling.

Set three years following the events of the original Dead Space, Dead Space 2 kicks off with hero Isaac Clarke on a massive space station called The Sprawl. Body parts quickly hit the fan as Isaac must arm himself to combat a second necromorph outbreak and, as if that wasn’t enough, a mind he may no longer be able to trust.

READ MORE>>

Movies to miss in February

Craptastic cinema has been pretty dry through the past few months, but that's all about to change thanks to a bountiful February.

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
Not even if it's in the sentence "You should never see this movie?" To be fair, I'm not exactly the target demographic for this particular film, but that doesn't mean I can't take this opportunity to openly state my dislike of Sr. Bieber and the effect he's had on people like my sweet, innocent niece. Based on his autobiography (because he's already lived such a long and storied life, you know), I expect theaters to sound like a cave full of disgruntled bats through the next few weeks due to the constant screams of adolescent ladies.

READ MORE>>

Games to get in February

Into month two of 2011 and, despite the fact there are only a handful of titles releasing, what's on offer looks pretty fantastic, especially if you're into first-person shooters.

February
8th- You Don't Know Jack (All)
15th- Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (PS3, 360)
22nd- Bulletstorm (PS3, 360)
22nd- Killzone 3 (PS3)

I've always been a fan of You Don't Know Jack's brand of trivia, so I'm pretty excited to see the series finally get a console reboot. Here's hoping all the charm of the original tabletop game has remained intact.

Fighting fans will begin the year in a big way thanks to Marvel vs. Capcom 3, the highly anticipated follow-up to arguable the greatest fighting game of all time.

Finally, Bulletstorm and Killzone 3 are set to drop on the exact same day late in the month, likely to cause more than a few FPS fans' heads to explode from a content overload. Both felt great in demo/beta form, so chances are you'll be a happy frag-head no matter which one you decide to pick up.

Read it: Memoir

Memoir is one of those books that does a good enough job of setting the hook, but only just.

I don’t know if it’s the barely likeable protagonist or the occasional jarring wonkiness in an otherwise beautifully drawn black and white comic, but issue one of Memoir features a couple hurdles to clear if you plan on tagging along for the full ride. Thankfully, the story is intriguing enough to guarantee that I, at least, will be doing exactly that.

Memoir follows a young journalist on his quest for “the big scoop” as he tries to uncover the mysteries of a town whose inhabitants have lost their memory following what was, apparently, a tragic series of events.

Ben McCool’s story starts with a wonderful scene that grabs you instantly, but then quickly introduces a lead character you might have a hard time rooting for. The guy is arrogant and seems willing to step over just about anyone if it means he’ll earn a shot at breaking his big story.

READ MORE>>

Monday mini-movies: Toxicity edition

The above video proves that it is absolutely, positively, 100 percent possible to fall in love with three different women at exactly the same time.

This week in Joystick Division

I'm shifting gears with my Joystick Division posts here on staticEchoes.

Rather than put up links to everything I write for the site, I'll instead be focusing on the reviews, features, bigger stories and those that start some sort of dialogue in the comments sections.

Think of it as an archive of my games stories that go beyond the daily press releases and quick news bits. If you don't feel like following all the info on joystickdivision.com, you'll still be able to see my bigger posts right here every week or so.

Jan. 16-29
Little Big Planet 2 review
Media Molecule's latest PS3 exclusive promises to be bigger, better and more creative than the original, all while creating a platform for players to build their own games. But can one game deliver on all those promises?
 
The seven best uses of food in video games
Food often plays a big part in video games. Check out this list of the seven best uses of food in video game history.
 
Modern Combat: Domination review
Gameloft surprises the FPS world with an $8 downloadable title that features all the explosive action of a great shooting experience for a fraction of the store shelf price.
 
New game labeling act goes a bit too far
Should video games be treated the same as alcohol or tobacco products? One congressman seems to think so.
 
The Playstation NGP revewl- An analysis
Sony has pulled back the curtain on its Next Generation Portable, following up on the PSP with what appears to be a solid design and loads of tech under the hood. But how much will this newest gadget cost and, more importantly, will the support be there to provide top-notch games?

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog

So....Yeah. The lack of posts has continued. I aim to have everything back to normal beginning next week.

The work load has continued to keep me busy and, I'm not going to lie, I've been playing a lot of Dead Space 2 and Dreamcast classics, killing what little free time I've had to get any extra work done. Can you blame me? Yes? Well now you're just being rude.

Thanks for your patience. Tune in next week for a return to form. The beginning-of-the-year-lazies should be worked out of the system by then.

Review wrap-up: Loads of stuff

The bridge of weeks connecting 2010 and 2011 has proven to be a bit busier than I expected. I’ve been able to take in a lot of "stuff"; I just haven’t had the time to review any of it.

As such, it’s now time for one of my world famous review wrap-ups wherein I gloss over several movies, games and CDs deserving of far more attention than I’m currently willing to provide. Here’s the quick rundown.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
(Video game) I’m a huge Castlevania fan, so even knowing LoS was going to be a re-launch of the series, it still took me a while to get used to the idea of everything being so different. Despite my fanboyish reservations, LoS succeeds as an action/adventure title with gorgeous graphics, a sweeping score and a crapload of content. While it borrows heavily from the God of War brand of combat, LoS surpasses that series in a lot of ways, creating a more complex, yet fluid means of destroying a wide variety of opponents. There’s loads of epic boss battles, an interesting story that sadly falls apart at the climax and it’s just plain fun to play. Don’t go in expecting the series you grew up with and you should be in for a 15-20-hour action rollercoaster.

More reviews after the break.

READ MORE>>

This week in Joystick Division

Jan. 9-15
Magic: The Gathering- Tactics incoming
First Dragonage II DLC revealed
Everquest II game hits Facebook
Uno turns 40, goes on sale
Goozex reveals 2010's top games
Another PlayStation Phone video
Sphero is awesome
PlayStation App hits phones
Wesley Snipes developing game from prison
Mass Effect 2 coming to PSN
LittlBitPlanet 2 partners with Toyota
Supremacy MMA steps into the octagon
Xbox asks you to Refer-a-Friend
3D video may come to 3DS
PSP2 packs PS3 power

Monday mini-movies: Body massage machine, Go!

These dubbed G.I. Joe PSAs are sort of like comfort food for my brain. Every now and then, when I’m feeling a bit down, I watch a few to remind me there’s stuff in this world worth living for…Like body massages. And porkchop sandwiches.

Movies to miss in January

There are only a handful of movies coming out this month and, as such, there's certainly not a whole lot to warn you away from.

The beginning of the year is always slow for movies, so maybe take this time to catch up on some reading. Or you could always check out some of the late-2010 greats like True Grit or Black Swan. But the choice is ultimately yours. I'm not here to tell you how to run your life...Just which movies not to see.

Season of the Witch
This is, quite literally, the only film I have a legitimate beef with this month. I love Ron Perlman and, most of the time, have trouble finding fault in anything Nicholas Cage does, no matter how bad it turns out. This one, though, just looks terrible. I was going to give it a bye for the month, but then I saw the approval rating over at Rotten Tomatoes was somewhere around two percent, making it clear that I had to at least say something.

No Strings Attached
I'm going to be honest: I plan on marrying Natalie Portman. As such, I cannot recommend anyone go see a film where she is acting in a romantic fashion with another man. It would just feel wrong.

This week in Joystick Division

Jan. 2-8
Wii remotes used in water research
Some sweet PlayStation shoes
Pac-Man in Rose Parade
Child's Play Charity breaks record
Kinect hack gives x-ray vision
Indie games awards nominees announced
DS best-selling console in U.S. history
OnLive partners with Vizio
Gaming good for focus
Games decrease in value super fast
Glasses-free 3D TVs coming this year
Video games taking over entertainment market
Games used in focus research
Million dollar MLB 2K11 competition announced
PacMap makes driving more fun

Games to get in January

It’s 2011 and, not surprisingly, there aren’t a whole lot of games coming out in January. Of those that are releasing, though, the first month of the New Year looks to have some heavy hitters. Gamers on the PS3 have an especially great short-list of titles to look forward to, offering plenty of thrills and chills to kick off the otherwise slow start to another year of gaming.


January
11th- DC Universe Online (PS3)
18th- Mass Effect 2 (PS3)
18th- Little Big Planet 2 (PS3)
25th- Dead Space 2 (PS3, 360)
25th- Two Worlds 2 (PS3, 360)

I know Two Worlds 2 is a gamble, but everything I’ve seen leads me to believe this one might actually provide everything the first Two Worlds promised, only in a game nobody will be embarrassed to admit they played. Also, you’ve gotta root for the underdog from time to time.

Dead Space 2 continues the story of one of my favorite titles of this gaming generation, looking to expand the gameplay in every way imaginable with more weapons, more varied levels to explore, more necromorphs and even an online component. Yes, please.

PlayStation gamers will finally get a crack at the Mass Effect universe this month with the second game in the series (as well as a catch-up on the story so far) releasing day and date with the mind-boggling Little Big Planet 2, which looks to allow for even more creativity, fun and levels (because 300,000 isn’t enough) than ever before.

Finally, there’s DC Universe Online which, if my time with the beta is any indicator, should be a real treat for MMO and action fans alike. The question remains: Will console gamers be willing to pay a monthly subscription fee?

Monday mini-movies: Bird rock

I know it's a day late, but my resolution for staticEchoes this year was to surprise my readers. I guess I can mark that one off the “to do” list and just move on to regular postings for the remainder of 2011. I wouldn't want to knock your socks too far off with just how spontaneous I can be.

As for this week's post, I'm at a loss for words. You don't really need further explanation or commentary on this one. That bird is singing “Let the bodies hit the floor” by Drowning Pool. That amount of awesomeness doesn't require extra hype from me. Just enjoy it.

This week in Joystick Division

Happy New Year! Now that the holidays are over, things should be returning to normal here on staticEchoes.

We begin the year with a double dose of Joystick Division posts. Lots of random news and interesting tid-bits, plus my reviews of echochrome ii, Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves and Gran-friggin-Turismo 5.

Dec. 19 - Jan. 1
Gran Turismo 5 review
MSN Games announces fan picks for 2010
Bulletstorm Epic Edition grants Gears 3 beta
PlayStation hosts holiday movie sale
echochrome ii review
Steam holds holiday sale
Sega holds holiday sales
Splinter Cell HD collection inbound for PS3
Fighter made with Little Big Planet 2
Minecraft enters beta
Kindle offers choose-your-own-adventures
Castlevania DLC coming soon
Games sales down in 2010
EA Sports class-action suit moves forward
Console Grinch behind bars
Video games trivia App launches
Lost in Shadow playable at Best Buy
UT Videogame Archive hits 1,500 titles
Co-Optimus giving away Video Games Live
Kinect hack makes it work for PC
Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves review
Kids shouldn't play too much 3DS
More Square Enix headed to PSN
The most pirated games of 2010
Games pirate walks the plank
Enjoy these video game drinking games
Mysterious Final Fantasy Type-0 surfaces