A run-and-gun retrospective of three modern-day gaming classics

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EDITOR'S NOTEfrom Eduardo Moutinho

I remember playing through all three games in Jonathan's list. They all left me with some of the best gaming memories from the last few years. Sometimes I wish I could go back and play through Mass Effect for the first time, just to feel that sense of awe once again.

Mass Effect, BioShock, Fallout 3

This article contains minor spoilers for BioShock and Fallout 3.


I finally completed three of the most popular releases in my Xbox 360 collection: Mass Effect, BioShock, and Fallout 3. Although I enjoyed every one of them, I think many reviewers overlooked their many flaws.

Perfect video games don't exisit, even among the biggest blockbuster productions.

As I played through each revered modern classic, I discovered how each game uncovered new capabilities of the current-generation consoles.

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Spotlight: PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, never-ending year of sequels, and more

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PlayStation All-Stars Battle RoyaleThe Community Spotlight features some of the best unedited articles that didn't quite make the front page. This week, we examine how PlayStation All-Stars tries to shed the "Smash Bros. clone" tag, discuss David Jaffe's thoughts on video-game storytelling, and wonder why we still get so many sequels. Join us!


PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is trying to separate itself
By Ethan Clevenger

"If you were hoping to play Smash Bros. with PlayStation characters," Ethan writes, "you'll be sorely disappointed. While the general concept is there, the game as a whole is far from a carbon copy, which may be a good or bad thing." I do love some Smash, but I'm looking forward to trying a different style of fight.

Jaffe, you so crazy (or not): Storytelling in video games
By Javy Gwaltney

Javy breaks down Twisted Metal creator David Jaffe's comments on how storytelling "stunts the growth of video games." Javy writes: "What Jaffe is missing out on is the fact that games aren’t trying to be movies but are instead trying to achieve a happy medium that offers interactivity and a cinematic experience." What do you think?

The never-ending year of sequels
By Thomas Bobyn

If it seems like every year could be called the "year of sequels," well, Thomas says you're probably right. He says that sequels are safe bets for publishers trying to turn a profit. But that doesn't mean we have to complain, Thomas argues: "Rather than fighting the barrage of sequels that comes at us 12 months a year, we as a gaming community should learn to minimize the pre-determined bias we have about sequels."

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Does Hotline Miami glorify violence?

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EDITOR'S NOTEfrom Rob Savillo

This industry produces a lot of horrifically violent games that ultimately shape the medium's image in popular culture. But Javy explores how a little indie PC game turns what we expect as the norm upside down.

According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, to glorify something is to make it “glorious by bestowing honor, praise, and admiration.”

One of the charges that has always been levied at controversial video games is that many of them glorify violence. Now, there are certain games that I would be hard-pressed to make a compelling defense for, such as Postal; however, there have been certain games that have successfully sidestepped that criticism by giving the player the choice to commit or refrain from violence.

Think about Grand Theft Auto III. To progress through the game, you must kill mafia members and other undesirables, but the game never requires that you to progress through the story to play it. Think about it. You can play taxi driver or cruise around town blasting the radio or just walk about, observing the denizens of Liberty City as they go about their lives. It may be boring as hell, but the option to play the game without maiming a single person is there.

And then we have the middle ground: Hotline Miami. I’m not going to waste time reviewing the game as there are plenty of fantastic reviews out there. I do, however, want to focus on the violence in this game since it’s clearly been one of its selling points.

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Bitmob Wants You: To write about Assassin's Creed 3

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Assassin's Creed 3

Yeah, the game doesn't come out until the 30th. But we just can't wait.

The Assassin's Creed series is finally getting a new numbered entry, and we want you, the noble Bitmob community, to write about it.

The usual rules apply: You're welcome to write up a simple review if you like, but we'd love to see you tap into that famous Bitmob creativity, too. It doesn't have to be long or fancy...anything that tells us how you feel about the game is fine by us.

If you do need a few ideas, feel free to use any of these:

  • How does AC3's colonial-America setting change the fundamental gameplay, if at all?
  • As new protagonist Connor Kenway, you'll fight foes from both sides of the American Revolution. How does that affect your motivation as a player?
  • You'll meet more recognizable historical figures in AC3. How accurately are they portrayed?

Ready to write? Here's how to participate:

1. Write any article related to Assassin's Creed 3. A few hundred words will suffice, although you can go longer if you'd like.

2. Make sure you put Assassin's Creed 3 (note: not III) in the tags for your article -- and don't forget to tag any other games you mention.

3. Submit your articles to the Mobfeed by Wednesday, November 7. We'll publish the collected works the following day.

Sound good? Then grab your gear, Assassin, and get going.

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2 important questions about the 'Leon' campaign in Resident Evil 6

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Resident Evil 6

Developer Capcom unleashed Resident Evil 6, the latest installment in its survival-ish horror-y franchise a couple of weeks ago. I'm almost done with series...favorite(?) Leon Kennedy's campaign (one of three in the game), and while I'm not quite as down on this title as Bitmob and GamesBeat writer Jasmine Rea is, I have spent a lot of my time playing it scratching my head. I assume the head-scratching is out of confusion, but I guess I wouldn't rule out Zombie Flu (which is just like the regular flu, but with zombies).

Regardless, here are a few questions I have about Leon's latest adventures in babysitting. Because escort missions, am I right?

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The hardcore Wii

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Super Mario Galaxy

No respect, I'm telling ya ... the Wii U gets no respect at all.

Sure, retail preorders for Nintendo's new console (releasing November 18 in the U.S.) sold out and now the grey market's gouging a few suckers for all they can, but I just don't sense much excitement around the Wii U. Nobody I personally know burns to possess one for anything other than business purposes. That's not a commentary on the quality of Nintendo's new machine, either. I've logged plenty of hours on a Wii U, and I know it's a solid platform with real potential for creating amazing experiences. But in a rapid-fire release season -- new Halo, Hitman, Assassin's Creed, and Call of Duty titles all drop within weeks or days of each other -- nobody's focused too hard on hardware.

And that's the thing. Some of those games arrive on the Wii U, too, but that's largely an afterthought. Call of Duty: Black Ops II releases on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 ... oh, and Wii U. A few days later. If you don't mind waiting.

That's fairly standard for Wii U releases. If feels like second-class treatment, and I suspect that's led to a (likely undeserved) second-class perception. Why aren't more people frothing at the mouth for a Wii U? What must the Wii U do to be the hardcore platform it wants to be and get the respect back?

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Far Cry 3 might lead to a new era of first-person shooters

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EDITOR'S NOTEfrom Eduardo Moutinho

I support the trend of open-world first-person shooters. In fact, I just plain like it when games take risks and incorporate aspects from different genres. So for that reason, Far Cry 3 is definitely on my list of intriguing holiday releases.

Far Cry 3

From awe-inspiring graphics that blur the lines between real and virtual to a psychotic new villain named Vaas, Far Cry 3 is shaping up to deliver an experience that might shake the very core of the first-person-shooter world. 

When you look at typical FPS experiences, they are glorified Michael Bay movies with over-the-top, end-of-the-world storylines. They have steered clear from realism in favor of a linear, in-your-face focus with characters you couldn't care less about.

The fuel for Far Cry 3 is its new hero, Jason Brody, a modern man you can actually relate to. He's grown up in our technology-driven world. You, playing as Brody, have washed up on a mysterious island that is hiding a dark secret, your boat has been destroyed, and your girlfriend is missing. Even worse, everyone on the island is insane. This lush and seemingly serene location is brutal and lawless.

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How Metal Gear Solid 4 raises questions about our treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder

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EDITOR'S NOTEfrom Sam Barsanti

Considering how obsessed with war video games are, it's surprising that there aren't more that deal with post-traumatic stress disorder. Although, that would take a lot of the fun out of running around and shooting people ... so maybe it's not surprising at all.

The "Beauty and the Beast" Unit, the main bosses of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriot

Have you ever thought about how people should stop abusing and glorifying the theme of war? Perhaps they need a heavy dose of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and its central idea that no one should have to experience war at all.

Recently, I’ve been replaying the PS3 classic (mostly thanks to the long-overdue Trophy patch) and thinking about its ensemble cast. As fans of the series know, director Hideo Kojima has a knack for creating a variety of colorful characters. In MGS4, Kojima decided to make his “boss characters” a combat unit of women who suffered from an extreme case of post-traumatic stress disorder. This unit was called the “Beauty and the Beast Unit” (also known as the BB Corps). Seeing the group’s rampage and death made me wonder how much progress is being made to help those who suffer from PTSD in real life.

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Resident Evil: Damnation embodies all that's wrong with the series

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Leon S. Kennedy

Warning: The following contains major and minor spoilers for Resident Evil: Damnation.


Resident Evil: Damnation is extremely faithful to the famed survival-horror franchise. And that’s the problem: It’s too similar. And the reflection in the mirror isn’t very flattering.  

The movie’s slavish devotion to the games manifests itself in cringe-worthy dialogue, contrived situations, and characters that behave like teenagers in a slasher flick. This is exactly what we’ve come to expect from Resident Evil.

Ever since #4, Resident Evil has slowly morphed from a campy throwback to classic horror films into a formulaic third-person shooter, more akin to Gears of War than Alone in the Dark.

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5 games you should play for Halloween

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EDITOR'S NOTEfrom Rob Savillo

Get ready for the Halloween season with these five recommendations. Do you have any favorite horror games missing from this list?

So we now have about a week and a half to go until Halloween, and if you’re a fan of horror games, chances are that you will be spending a lot of your time on the couch or at the computer, with the lights off and volume cranked up, playing some of your favorites.

Gamers have to be thankful for the fair amount of contributions to the horror genre available to them, but of course, like everything else, a few of those titles always manage to stand out from the rest due to their originality and innovation. Even those that are years -- even decades -- old still manage to just plain scare the living Hell out of us.

So, if you’re one of those longtime horror fans or if you’re looking to try your hand at the genre for the fist time, here’s a short list of 5 games that are most commonly considered among the best and why you should play them.

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Spotlight: Syndicate disappointment, war against 999, silent storytelling, and more

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SyndicateThe Community Spotlight features some of the best unedited articles that didn't quite make the front page. This week, we express frustration at Syndicate, wage war on the ending of 999, tell a silent story in Kairo, and explain why multiplayer doesn't always work. Read on!


My biggest gaming disappointment of 2012, or: How Starbreeze Studios broke my little black heart
By Javy Gwaltney

Based on his time with developer Starbreeze's prior projects The Darkness and The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, Javy expected to adore Syndicate. That...didn't happen. Javy explains why, and why he feels his complaints went unheard.

My war against the ending of 999
By Nathaniel Ray

999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors is a Japanese adventure game with a really long title. Apparently, it also has a hell of a twist ending, one that Nathaniel feels didn't fit the rest of the game. "I'm no professional game writer, of course," he writes, "but I do take issue when a writer creates a plot point that isn't supported with his previous writing."

Telling a story with no words: An interview with Richard Perrin, creator of Kairo
By Rory McCarty

Haven't heard of Kairo? Neither had I. But after reading Rory's interview with the man behind the game, I'm pretty curious. If you're into the indie adventure-puzzle genre, you'll want to read up on the designer's interesting philosophy.

Multiplayer doesn't work in every game genre
By Alexander Kraus

Seems like single-player-only titles are getting rarer and rarer, as publishers try to shoehorn in unnecessary multiplayer modes. Alexander's had enough of that. He writes: "Stapling some network code to games that were primarily single-player tend to harm both campaigns instead of enhance both experiences."

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Four new revelations from BioShock Infinite's Collector's Editions

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EDITOR'S NOTEfrom Layton Shumway

At this point, everyone is so starving for any tiny bit of information on BioShock Infinite that we'll take it wherever we can find it. Lasse finds a few precious nuggets in the description of the game's special editions.

BioShock Infinite

We've been fairly in the dark about Irrational Games' newest release since they went underground to finish it up back in March 2012. However, new news (that isn't employee layoffs) is now beginning to trickle out. Later this weekend we'll see the first trailer in many months (countdown here) and just today the Premium and Ultimate Songbird editions of the game were announced.

You can get all the information about the Collector's Editions of the game by visiting Irrational's website. I'm more interested in outing a few interesting details that I noticed while reading the descriptions. Here's four new revelations about Bioshock Infinite:

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