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LAYTON SHUMWAY
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SLC, UT
Layton writes about games, proofreads for fun and profit, works for a newspaper, plays in a band, cheers for the Utah Jazz and Real Salt Lake, dreams about Tetris, looks for love in all the wrong places, and swears he isn't from the planet Melmac.
LAYTON SHUMWAY'S SPONSOR
FEATURED POST
If you were making a game in the '80s and '90s, sometimes you had to skimp on dialogue. The games were better for it. And paradoxically, so were the stories.
Monday, January 09, 2012 |
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POST BY THIS AUTHOR (196)
It's time to check out the results of our recent Bitmob Wants You community callout on the time-traveling adventures of Noel and Serah in Final Fantasy 13-2.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 |
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In this week's Community Spotlight, we take a look back at the Phantasy Star series, examine sidequests in RPGs, introduce ourselves to Guild Wars 2, and more. It's RPG-tastic!
Saturday, February 18, 2012 |
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We're extending our Bitmob Wants You writing prompts for Final Fantasy 13-2 and Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning through next week. Join us!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 |
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In this week's Community Spotlight, we enter City 17 with Half-Life 2's intro, learn money matters in Secret of Evermore, spend an evening in the Old West with Gun Smoke, and more. Join us!
Saturday, February 11, 2012 |
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Are you ready to weave your own fate? Good...because Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning hit shelves Tuesday, and we want you to write about it as part of our latest Bitmob Wants You prompt.
Wednesday, February 08, 2012 |
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Check out the ten most-read stories from the Bitmob community for January 2012. Did you make the list?
Monday, February 06, 2012 |
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In this week's Community Spotlight, we've got a regular guy stuck in Final Fantasy 13, a painful divorce with a handheld, and an examination of Mass Effect's on-screen interface. Oh...and we might talk about the likelihood of a Final Fantasy 7 sequel, too. (Spoiler: Don't count on it.)
Saturday, February 04, 2012 |
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Get ready. Lightning is about to strike twice. Terrible jokes aside, Final Fantasy 13-2 is on store shelves, and we want you to write about it.
Wednesday, February 01, 2012 |
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In this week's Community Spotlight, we search for the perfect Dance Dance Revolution mat, continue the quest in Final Fantasy 8, examine Portal's influence, and more. Join us!
Saturday, January 28, 2012 |
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We asked Bitmob's Facebook and Twitter followers about their favorite game of 2011. Check out the responses!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 |
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In this week's Community Spotlight, we examine Bulletstorm's dynamic scoring system, discuss a unique dating simulation, spend some quality time with the PlayStation Vita, and take a stroll through Skyrim. Join us!
Saturday, January 21, 2012 |
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We've got a pair of writing challenges that are sure to make you shake your maracas. Check 'em out.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 |
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COMMENTS BY THIS AUTHOR (338)
"Good man! Glad you finished this. Awesome parkour pics. And I share your love of Mirror's Edge. Such a singular experience.
Now, RITE MOAR ARTICULS."
Friday, February 03, 2012
"That's it exactly! I saved myself into a corner there, couldn't grind, couldn't do anything but vainly attempt that battle over and over. RAGE."
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
"I had to quit my first playthrough of FF8 when I got to Adel. I had been using GFs almost exclusively in battle and neglecting to level up my characters or weapons or draw/Junction decent magic.
Unfortunately, GF attacks are all multi-target, meaning I couldn't hit Adel without hitting Rinoa.
I'm still annoyed."
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
"Nice recap. CC's story hurts my brain, too. :)
Do you know about the game's previous incarnation, known as Radical Dreamers? It was a title for the little-known Satellaview add-on to the Super Famicom in Japan. If you don't know the details (or even if you do), I highly recommend 1UP's Retronauts episode on Radical Dreams/Chrono Cross: http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?publicUserId=5379721&bId=8956371"
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
"Hmm, not sure...many games have moments or aspects where they handle it well, but maybe not the whole experience.
My prime example will probably always be Shadow of the Colossus. Its gameplay is so stripped down that it perfectly matches the labors and intentions of the protagonist. Your goal: Restore the girl to life. Everything the game allows you to do serves this goal, even if you're not actively killing the next colossus yet. It manages to balance the illusion of player freedom against absolute linearity without ever breaking the sense of urgency and purpose.
What would you say?"
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
"Thanks for the intro, Luc! Hope to see more of both your writing and video work here!"
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
"Welcome, Luc! Thanks for joining the Mob!"
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
"You're probably right. I'm just a grumpy old guy who clings to his nostalgia. :)"
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
"I originally read this title as "Sexism in Character Ponytails." I think I'm part of the problem. :-/
Good thoughts, Stephen. Thanks for your insights, and welcome to Bitmob!"
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
"Fixed the embed for you, Jeremy. Sorry about the troubles. Welcome to Bitmob!"
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
"Welcome to Bitmob! Interesting thoughts. I really think I'm happy to let FF7 live in my memory as it is, though. (And I have it on PSN if I ever want to replay it, anyway.) There's no way a remake could really capture the same emotions I felt when I played it the first time. Still, the prospect of HD graphics is tantalizing.... :)"
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
...but seriously, it's good. Uncharted is, too."