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