The Daily GameDev.net - GameDev.Net Discussion Forums

The Daily GameDev.net

Posted by: Mike Stedman at November 23, 2009 8:54:47 AM

Many people have come up to me in the street and asked me: "Mike, what is best in life?" I generally strike them down with my diamond-encrusted Scepter of the Moderator (+2/+3 against trolls) and shriek something about them having the audacity to approach me without a prior appointment. But in reality, what is best in life is making computer-controlled characters fight each other to the death, so you don't have to waste any ammo. It was true in Doom, and it's true today.

This week brings us little or no specific joy, though some people on staff will be quite overjoyed that Twilight: Scene It is out for the Wii and Hello Kitty Party is available for the DS. You might also be interested in Serious Sam HD, the graphically swank remake of the original game about a man who shoots monsters and frequently locked up my original Xbox.

Stardock has released their annual customer report, revealing that they are getting their butts kicked by Steam, but not as badly as, well, everyone else, ever. It would be nice to have a compelling alternative to Steam (particularly for the Mac - hint, hint) but so far Impulse isn't really there for me.

Need for Speed: Shift is making a pseudo-compelling argument for having my attention back from Modern Warfare 2 and Forza 3 with new free downloadable content which provides for some cheap-to-license American classics as well as a Japanese torque monster. The PlayStation store has a cool application now called adhocParty, which lets you tunnel those bastard PSP games that only offered local multiplayer... through the internet. What this means is this: if you have any stock in any Japanese corporation, chances are you are going to want to sell it right now before they figure out that they can basically play Monster Hunter forever. It's probably too late already. Also, if you have a Wii, SUPER MARIO KART YES. Reportedly, PilotWings is also coming.

Are you one of the people looking forward to BioShock 2? Did you appreciate how the original game made compromises on almost every aspect of every previous Shocklike game, even Invisible War? Well, it's time for you to enjoy some multiplayer footage. It actually feels a little bit like multiplayer Deus Ex to me, which I loved, and which approximately eight people ever played. The Saboteur has gone gold, no small feat considering most of its development staff were fired unceremoniously last week.

EA's marketing team is at it again: if you were looking forward to that game trailer about going to a Catholic church and praying your arse off, well, you're not gonna get it. Turns out it was a publicity stunt for Dante's Inferno, just like when EA phoned me and told me to rob a bank last night and take hostages. That game better be pretty good, because I'm told I only get like 30-35 minutes of video games a day on death row.

Before you go today, check out this year's lineup of Valve Christmas cards, featuring the red Spy doing what must be a form of CPR to the blue Scout's mom.