Here it is. I hope you guys like it!

http://gamingtrend.com/2013/05/16/the-passion-of-ted-price-insomniac-fuse-and-the-love-of-video-games/

great piece

Thanks! It was a ton of fun to write, and even more fun to talk to the guy. Seriously, he's so genuine and passionate about his work.

If you like it, please share it on your social medias and tell your friends to do the same. I really want this one to get out there -- I feel like there's a lot of great info here, and I don't want it to die off before it gets a chance to spread.

Here it is. I hope you guys like it!

http://gamingtrend.com/2013/05/16/the-passion-of-ted-price-insomniac-fuse-and-the-love-of-video-games/

My preview/interview with Ted Price will go live tomorrow at 6 am PST. I'm really excited about this piece, and I can't wait for you to read it.

Play the demo. Seriously.

I did last night, and didn't particularly enjoy it.  This is probably just not a game for me, but I could see others liking it.  Care to elaborate on your impressions?

Unfortunately, I cannot until the embargo date for my preview. I will say that you should definitely give co-op a try -- the more, the merrier.

Play the demo. Seriously.

I will be attending a Fuse event on Wednesday, and I'll most likely have an opportunity to interview Insomniac CEO Ted Price. Are there any questions you'd like me to ask regarding this game (or perhaps others)? I'll pick some out and ask him when I get a chance.

That tumblr page is great, but a bit overwhelming... do you have any recommendations of games in this genre that are combat focused?  (In the vein of Dust an Elysian Tail, Shadow Complex, Guacamellee, Outland, etc... )

Cave Story and La Mulana are amazing.

Cave Story is a bit more of a classic Metroidvania platformer, complete with hidden endings (that you can only get by sequence breaking the game), tons of secrets, great 8-Bit style graphics and music, and a ton of heart. The most amazing thing? It's the product of one dude from Japan.

La Mulana is, on the other hand, much much more difficult. It's a masocore platformer with some incredibly difficult fights, and sections that damn near require writing down notes. It's like a side scrolling Indiana Jones -- but not just because it's got a guy with a fedora. You're actually uncovering hidden artifacts by scouring ruins for hidden information. It's difficulty might be a bit off putting, but it's a fun romp.

If you're looking for something a bit lighter, definitely try FEZ. It's more puzzley (no combat at all), but it's got a great aesthetic and the puzzles are pretty inventive.

Holy crap. Welcome to the world of Metroidvanias! It's probably my favorite subgenre of 2D platformer (and probably favorite genre of all). Something about the myriad powers, the backtracking that opens up new areas of the map, the quest to get 100%...

Anyway, before I lose my train of thought, I figured I'd help out a bit. It's been a while since I played so I'll do what I can.

- How do I use items in my inventory? So far the only method I've found is to equip the item in a hand, exit the menu, use it, re-enter the menu and re-equip my weapons.

As far as I know, yes. It's kind of a pain in the ass (as future Metroidvania games have evolved).

- What do these items do? Is there a good place to figure out what items are worthwhile and to tell me in what situations I should be using them?

They do all kinds of stuff. Some heal, some are equippable, some give you access to other areas. You'll just have to experiment and find out!

Or, check out this: http://www.vgmuseum.com/mrp/sotnweapons.htm

- What weapons and armor are good? It doesn't seem like I can just go by the stats, since things like weapon speed and very ill defined special properties of this stuff plays a HUGE part. Right now I'm using the combat knife, the icebrand sword and diamond plate.

Pick what suits your playstyle. Do you like to hit hard? Or do quick, small attacks work better? And while defense and attack are great, sometimes the attack animations or stat boosts of other items are better. You'll just have to experiment.

- What spells should I be using? (if any)

Here are a list of spells you can use: http://www.finalfantasykingdom.net/sotnspells.php

Again -- experiment. It's easy to get MP back, so just figure out what works for you.

- What familar(s) should I be using? I use the healing faerie mostly now. I also have the demon at the moment.

The faerie is good for defense, and as it levels up, it'll find hidden areas of the map for you. But the best familiar you'll get is the Sword. You'll see.

- What should I be doing at the vendor(s)? I've only found one and I think I've only visited him once. I'm not even sure I could find him again... Is it worthwhile to be selling stuff? Is the stuff he has for sale worth buying? Any recommendations on what to pick up?

Typically, the vendors are kind of pointless, though you'll find some worthwhile special items there -- new spells, a castle map, that sort of thing. Buy all the special stuff when you get the money for it, and don't bother selling stuff -- you'll find plenty of money as you go.

- Is there a recommended FAQ that gives me a good, well organized dissemination of this information?

Those links I've posted have some good info. GameFAQs is also helpful.

- Is there any general advice you can give me?

Explore. Remember where certain item gates are -- places that are obviously blocked off -- and try to return when you can. Use teleportation to get around easier. Don't worry so much about grinding -- levels will come as you explore and proceed with the plot.

Worry first about beating the game. You won't get the true ending. Once you've "beaten" it, you can jump back in and try to explore that castle for 100% completion. Don't be afraid to look online for a guide to get the secret items you need to unlock the SECOND HALF of the game. Yeah -- beating it the first time at 100% isn't the end.

- I'd like to explore the GBA and DS Castlevania's after I "grow up" on this one, will this give me a the skillset I need for those? Or will I have another learning curve for those games?

Absolutely. The GBA/DS games are largely similar to this in concept, with a few different gameplay tweaks here and there to change things up. Honestly, this is probably the hardest one out of all of them (they have varying degrees of difficulty, but are generally easier than Symphony). If you can get 200% in this game, you'll be able to tackle the other ones no sweat.

Also, someone made this awesome tumblr: http://metroidvanias.tumblr.com/

You'll find Metroidvanias of all stripes -- free ones, paid ones, console ones, PC ones, combat heavy ones, exploration based ones... you've entered into a rabbit hole, and I doubt you'll want to crawl out.

- How did anyone get through this game before the days of FAQs?!?!?

Dude, I have no clue.

Anyway, hope that helps! Enjoy! Symphony of the Night has its quirks, but it's a real trip, and I wish I could go back and explore it for the first time again.

So was this misleading demo ever used again after E3?  Was the same demo released to the public?  Did all the marketing materials, advertising, screen shots, video previews, etc. reference back to this particular demo, or was this a one-off thing created for E3 then shelved?  Asking because I honestly have no idea.

Without taking a stance on the merits of the lawsuit, I can say that yes, advertisements for Colonial Marines were using footage from the E3 demo rather than the actual game for weeks after the game's release.  Here's an article about the UK's Advertising Standards Authority addressing the issue, and I personally saw my share of ads here in the US.

-Autistic Angel

Thanks.  That makes this far more of an issue then. I was under the impression that this was a one-time demo used at E3.  If they still continued to use it post-release, then yes, I'd agree that's a significant problem.

Not only that, they were using HEAVILY doctored screenshots and sending those out to publishers.

Look at this: http://gamingtrend.com/2012/12/11/its-not-quite-game-over-man-with-these-aliens-colonial-marines-screenshots/

Compare that to this video: http://gamingtrend.com/2013/02/18/hit-points-aliens-colonial-marines/

There's a HUGE disconnect here. "Bullshots" are par for the course in the industry, but most final games at least look something like the screenshots. These... this is egregious.

The important thing to prove here is whether consumers felt deceived by their advertising practices. And a press demo is a form of advertising.

For most developers out there, even if they create a false, CGI based demo, or at least an interactive, highly scripted one, they're not trying to outright deceive the press and consumer base. Look at the Killzone 2 video-as-live-demo -- the final product actually turned out pretty close to the falsified CGI video that posed as actual gameplay. Was it kinda shady? Yeah. But it was at least representative of the final product. Same with Bioshock Infinite. Sure, certain features changed, or didn't make it in, but the art style, graphical quality, and general gameplay features were all (mostly) present and accounted for. I highly doubt that there was a large amount of people who were pissed that the final Bioshock Infinite game they got was somewhat different than the one they saw three years prior.

The problem with the Aliens demo is that 1) the graphical quality of the demo is vastly superior from what we got on the retail disc (despite numerous screenshots that seemingly proved otherwise) and 2) AI and gameplay features were conspicuously absent from the final product (the aliens did NOT act like they did in that hands-off demo at E3, among other things that were missing). Sure, levels get shifted around, certain promised features don't ship (or are greatly changed) due to play testing and iteration, but to have fundamental things like graphics and AI to be drastically different is a problem endemic of a much larger issue. Why would your demo look so goddamn amazing, your aliens react so realistically, then when you finally pick up the retail game, you have derpy aliens and the game looks no better (and in some ways, worse) than an original Xbox game?

Sure, stuff changes from target demos and carefully controlled hands-on previews. But many other games have numerous preview events (especially leading up to the weeks before release) and they let the press actually PLAY these demos. The fact that the only gameplay footage we saw from Aliens: Colonial Marines was that fake E3 gameplay demo is incredibly deceptive.  People saw this demo, saw how amazing it was, and pre-ordered the game (or purchased it on launch without having read reviews). When they got the game, it was something far, far worse than what they were told. This is a classic "bait-and-switch."

Wikipedia states (I realize that this isn't a legal definition in the slightest, but it's easy to understand) that "[w]hat is illegal is the potential to deceive, which is interpreted to occur when consumers see the advertising to be stating to them, explicitly or implicitly, a claim that they may not realize is false and material. The latter means that the claim, if relied on for making a purchasing decision, is likely to be harmful by adversely affecting that decision." A falsified demo meant to drum up pre-orders, when all parties involved in the creation of said demo know that the actual retail game looks and plays NOTHING like it is an example of false advertising, and is considered illegal.

I think this is a particularly important case. We as consumers have rights -- rights that should protect us from false advertising. Obvious bullshots, one hands-off demo (and some brief multiplayer sessions) that was obviously scripted is absurd. We do have the ability to make decisions based off reviews, and nothing should protect us from bad games (as purchasing those games, like movies, is of our own volition). But, when we are surrounded with messages harassing us to "Pre-order now!" and we make that purchasing decision based off a demo that isn't even indicative in the slightest of the final product -- the people involved should be held accountable.

TL;DR: We were sold snake oil in video game form, and we deserve better than that.

A couple years ago I'd have been reasonably pumped for this announcement. After hearing about the clustercuss that was X-Men Destiny and Silicon Knights' subsequent implosion, anything with Dyack's name gets a wary glance from me.

I'll believe it when I can play it for myself.

I... Was not a fan. http://gamingtrend.com/game_reviews/monster-blunder-soul-sacrifice-review/

Too much repetition, too much obfuscation, not enough context or feeling of progression. It's got some great potential, but it's just kinda boring.

Nobody likes a kiss-ass, Enough .

This is not true.

And thank you. We've all been busting ass the last few months, and I'm glad to see it's paying off. I love that you guys are enjoying our content, and there'll be plenty more where that came from.

We've got some surprises in store within the next few months. Be patient. 

'unexpected issue'

some kind of late bug I guess.

Yeah, no official word from the Monaco team yet -- just that there was a delay, and it'll be available shortly.

And I goofed around with it a bit as well pre-release. It's pretty amazing. Single player is a decent experience, but multiplayer is a unique brand of controlled chaos. I love it. The music is pretty fantastic too -- expected from the guy who did the Journey soundtrack.

Victor reviewed the game for us, he really dug it: http://gamingtrend.com/game_reviews/monaco-review/#more-60376

My Soul Sacrifice preview is up! It's the latest from Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune, and he's trying to recapture the Monster Hunter magic for Sony after Nintendo swooped in and stole the franchise for themselves. It's... kinda weird.

Check out the preview here: http://gamingtrend.com/2013/04/16/what-will-you-sacrifice-to-escape-soul-sacrifice-preview/#more-59644

I will be trying to break through the seemingly impenetrable barrier that is the upcoming Vita game Soul Survivor. Expect a preview within the next couple of days.

I will also be playing a secret game of which I cannot speak. It comes out later this month, and it's kind of an anticipated release for what it is. Scratch your noggins over that one for a bit.

These studio closures are turning into some kind of cosmic joke.

The more I think about it, though, it's probably for the best. New companies will rise from the ashes of these old ones, new games will get made, and the cycle will continue. It sucks now, but give it a few years. Some guy from X studio will found his own company and blow us all away.

bad music 

You take that back.

I finished the story last week at just barely over 50%, and I guess I would say that the story lasted longer than I expected.  That may be because I saw how many chapters there were online while I was still in the middle and kept expecting it to be nearly over from then on.  Plus I spent a lot of time doing extra things during that first run through, when I could have probably done it much quicker ignoring all of that and only doing the secrets on a second run through.

I also spent another several hours getting somewhere close to 65% (my game locked up again the last time I played so I'm not sure).  There is definitely a ton of additional play time for those that want it, but I don't know that I'll be going back.

I've been dying to get back into it, but I just haven't had time. There's so much to explore, so much to unlock... Man, I wish I could squeeze a few hours into my schedule.

I need this in my life now.

Oh, and thanks for reading the review! I appreciate it, and I'm glad it's able to help you make a decision either way.

As far as the difficulty goes, the hardest parts of the game are completely optional (and hide the game's secretest of secrets), but there are some areas that will put your skills to the test. It's never as crushingly difficult as Super Meat Boy's hardest stuff, but it'll definitely give you a challenge.

The one of the bosses in particular was a pain in the ass, but it didn't make me longer than fifteen minutes to figure it out and beat him. Checkpoints are super generous, and dying during a boss fight (even during ones that have multiple stages) never feels truly painful.

Besides, the game won't take more than six hours to beat (unless you try to find everything, that is). If you don't mind a little bit more challenge in your games, I highly recommend it. The humor, the gameplay, the down right joy of exploration is totally worth it.

IGN has their exclusive review up (uh... ok), but our review will be live Tuesday at 12:01 AM.

I hate these timed exclusive reviews. I get why they do it, but it's just... blergh. That's a rant for another day.

Anyway, I hope you guys check it out my review when it's posted.

HOLY CRAP I NEED THIS.

I have the Retron 3, and other than the garbage wireless controllers it comes with (seriously, throw them away), and it's a pretty amazing set up.

This... this just takes the cake.

We didn't get our review copy until today (????) but I've been tooling around with it since Sunday, and man... it's pretty damn good. The only real gripe I have is its regimented mission structure. I get that it's a portable game, but it would have been nice if they let you just explore at your leisure, rather than forcing you back to base every 20 minutes or so.

Expect our full review this weekend (time permitting), though I'm sure you're all enjoying it thus far.

Wii U sounds more and more of a complete clusterfuck as weeks go by

Not sure where you are hearing that.    My family loves the Wii U.   They have sunk countless hours into Mario, Nintendoland, and Skylanders U.    I'm going to buy Lego City for them and that will be another month of playing time.   Best part is that they can play on the controller while I watch TV.

There is no off-screen play with Lego City. You need the Gamepad and TV to play it.

It might have something to do with the way it installs the game. The PS3 has this problem where you have to have twice the amount of room for the file -- space for the actual download, and space for the installation. Maybe it works the same way.

ooh a good score there, seems to mirror the EG review. Unsure what Edge was smoking though.

They could just hate LEGO games entirely. They're not perfect, by any means. But I was swayed by its charms, and I forgave quite a bit. It does a bunch of stuff so well that the things that it has problems with (and has had problems with ever since the first LEGO game) seemed far less problematic when taking in the whole picture.

Here you folks go: http://gamingtrend.com/game_reviews/grand-theft-lego-lego-city-undercover-review/

And I'll be on intermittently to answer any questions you guys might have about the game. I'm supposed to be on vacation, but I'll hop in when I can.

Thirty more minutes! I'll post the link in here once it goes live, and I'll answer any questions you have on the game.

And it retails for $49.99, ten bucks cheaper than I thought.

Guys. Guys. The Wii U finally has a new game coming out.

Our LEGO City Undercover review will go LIVE tomorrow morning at 9 PST.

Can you give us a hint?

A number between 0-100.

Guys. Guys. The Wii U finally has a new game coming out.

Our LEGO City Undercover review will go LIVE tomorrow morning at 9 PST.

Our quasi-official statement on the status of our SimCity review:

http://gamingtrend.com/2013/03/07/so-amazon-has-de-listed-simcity/#more-51432

I realize everyone's already played the game by this point (hooray for having to review a copy of the game I paid for!) but my official GT review is up.

http://gamingtrend.com/game_reviews/we-have-to-go-back-tomb-raider-review/#/vanilla/discussion/embed/?vanilla_discussion_id=0

Want to watch a train wreck in action? Ron and I played through a good hour or so of the game, and made various comments as we played.

http://gamingtrend.com/2013/02/18/hit-points-aliens-colonial-marines/

My final review is up: http://gamingtrend.com/game_reviews/its-like-one-of-my-japanese-animes-strike-suit-zero-review/

One look at Far Cry 3 on a PC versus an Xbox is proof enough that we're in dire need for an upgrade.

Thanks for the info, Turtle. I was debating on skipping DS3 but now I'm back on board. I'll be getting it on PC as well, I'd love to play it coop.

What's your origin info? I'm getting it on PC too, and it'd be nice to actually try out co-op without dealing with the plebeians.

My body is ready.

Wait...