1) The nominees for SPIKE's VGAs have been released, and I found a list! And of course, I'm going to try giving my picks. I think it's going to be a tight year, though. I don't see one game running away with everything like Uncharted 2 did last year.
GOTY: Mass Effect 2 (went a long way to advance storytelling in video games - similarly to Uncharted 2 did last year. Geez, what is it about that game? Oh yeah...it's amazing.)
Best 360: Mass Effect 2
Best PS3: God of War 3 (How many near perfect scores did it get?)
Best Wii: Super Mario Galaxy 2, no question. I will punt anyone who says Other M.
Best PC: This one is tough for me, as I generally don't do much PC gaming anymore. However, my pick would be (don't hate me) Civ 5. I want to say Mass Effect 2 or Starcraft 2, but Civ 5 I think stole the show on PCs.
Best Handheld: I have a DS but don't game on it much just yet. However, based on what I've heard, I think my pick is going to be a PSP game - MGS: Peace Walker. Just a hunch.
Those are my predictions. We'll see how I fare the day after my birthday.
2) This image has been spreading around like wildfire. What is BioWare hiding behind their curtain? Everyone is hoping it is Mass Effect 3, myself included. However, I think it is a bit early for that announcement. I'm thinking this is a new IP. What it could be, I have absolutely no idea. That's why I'm excited!
3) It seems that a lot of previous games are getting rereleased in HD or given a second life as downloadable titles. It began with God of War, then they announced that ICO and Shadow of the Colossus (squee) are getting released on one disc in HD. Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath and Beyond Good And Evil, two games that didn't too very well commercially, are being updated and released digitally. Now, the PS2 era Prince of Persia games have gotten the same treatment, and Splinter Cell is now joining the ranks. I have to say, I like this idea. As new gamers get interested in these long running series or games that just need easier access (excluding BGaE as it was retailed at $20...no one has any excuse for that one), rereleasing them is a great idea. I hate saying goodbye to my favorite of generations past as I upgrade a console. This concept makes me warm and tingly inside. I am a fan of digital distribution (sorry GameStop) and I think it is the main way games will be distributed in the future. Let's hope that this strategy gets developers and console makers excited about games they've made and that people might still enjoy. Who knows, if digital distribution does indeed take the forefront, consoles might allow backward compatibility if all they have to do is run older engines instead of reading out of date physical disks. Heck, the Wii already does it. Go, Nintendo! My only concern is that developers and distributors go overboard with this concept. If all of their time and energy is spent of redoing previous games, it would totally take away from making great new games. Only time will tell.
4) Enough of my blathering; here is the EpiCute of the day.
