The Obligatory Game of the Year Thread

It had to happen, eventually.

It's been such a strong year for videogames. Let's have a little reminisce about the best parts, and then a nomination for GotY at the end of your post.

I remember when....

Came across this interesting piece about some of the games released in 1998.

http://www.bingegamer.net/2008/top-ten-games-of-1998/

Its amazing to think Ocarina of Time and Half life are now 10 years old, and that Fallout 3 was 10 years in the making...

Next! (?)

The scheduled next date for Fi Club is 26th December, Boxing Day. I'm guessing most of us will be busy with guests, or travelling away. We're out early on the 27th so I'd rather not do it then, personally.

Week after that is the 2nd January. Does anyone want to do that night? Skip it until the 9th?

Whichever way this will either be the last Fi at the current betaHouse, or the first ever Fi at the new betaHouse. It's unlikely there'll be broadband up there at first, or heating, but I think we'll at least have electricity.

Come, join in the Band!

Oh, do you mean me?
Sorry, was I supposed to post?
(clears throat)

Ok, My place, Fi'Day 12th December for a pre-christmas rock-out!
Well, I say 'Rock'.
GHWT...hmmm....unfortunately, with each new release, GH gets less and less about 'Guitar Heroes'!
Several of the bands featured in the main game I haven't even heard of!
At least there's a couple of Jimmy's tracks on there.
Not that I'm a particular fan of him, but it's a start!

Anyway, I don't want to put you off before you've even agreed to come!

Come, it'll be fun!
It should work with RB as well (not tried it out yet, maybe this 'savo).
The drums, I feel, are slightly better.
But there's no saving whilst in a song...one fails, all fail...no get-out or 'no-fail' option (as in RB2).

(Stop it cookie, your doing it again!)

The Things I Hate About You

Edge has a piece about EA LA Lead Designer Randy Smith's least favourite video game features.

Fighting is the only way we can think to get the player involved: Violence is bad. World leaders are blinded by bloodlust. Watch this half-hour movie about nuclear proliferation. OK, now strangle and knife a bunch of goons from behind. Shoot everybody. You’re saving the world.

Randy no likey.

I no likey EA's sweatshop-bred sausage factory games, or their horrendously flakey game servers, but Edge hasn't published my bit yet.

Sony Killing LBP Levels Without Warning

From Wired Blog

LittleBigPlanet lets gamers create their own worlds, but some say that its developer is cracking down much too harshly on potentially infringing content.

Amateur level designers say that the developer of Sony's recently-released PlayStation 3 game has been yanking their creations from the servers if the levels contain references to existing television shows or videogames. And once the levels are gone, users aren't given the opportunity to remove the offending content and republish -- they've got to start from scratch.

Sounds about right for Sony.

Ain't Nothing Going On But The Rent

British Gaming Blog are reporting that GAME are to start a rental system.

GAME Rentals allows you to borrow up to 2 games at a time for a small monthly subscription. There are no late fees - when you want to try a new game just return one of the ones you’ve already played.

The service offers two subscription levels. The first allows for one game at a time for £9.99 a month, while the second allows two games at a time for £14.99 a month.

Here's a link to GAME's rental page where they're offering a 10-day free trial period if you sign up now.

I need to Do The Maths (natch) to see if it's worth it for me, but on the face of things you get to have a premium title for £20 for two months which is easily long enough for a single-player game like Fable 2, or to ride the initial wave of interest in a multiplayer like Gears 2 or L4D.

Looking at it another way. Who of us spend more than £120 a month, or even £180 for the 2-game deal? I know I do, but then I also sell on used titles which allows me to recoup. Hmmm.... where's that calculator.

Wonder if they'll send me the Rock Band II band in a box?

New Blog: Taisei Shikake

Munchk and I were chatting today about iPhones, apps and gadgets and we talked about how we should post some of this stuff, but not here.

To this end, I have created Taisei Shikake, the 'Fi Club gadget wing, and I invite you to join in with posts, comments or just feed lurking. Up to you.

Blogger's dashboard obfuscates your email addresses, and I have multiples for most of you, so let me know the addy you use for blogger and I'll get it to email out an invite.

Taisei Shikake

Nintendo's Wii Speak - Apparently ok to sell on....

In the interests of fairness (common sense and some web related outrage), Nintendo has back tracked on the Wii Speak code system that effectively ties it to one Wii.

Granted this solution requires a one phone call to Nintendo to obtain a new key, but hey, better than nothing eh? EH? :)

A good example of a company not too proud to admit a mistake, and here is hoping that others follow suit.

Linky