Super Meat Boy, the world’s greatest game about a meat boy saving a bandage girl from a fetus in a jar, has already released on XBLA and Steam, but that’s not stopping Team Meat from releasing a boxed special edition with all sorts of extra goodies. Being the only boxed release of the game, it requires some badass cover art. And artist Dave Rapoza delivered the goods:
It’s a nice throwback to the days when every game’s box art was action packed, and no game’s box art reflected the visual style of the actual game inside. It’s also the coolest box art we’ll see in all of 2011. Yes, I’m calling it this early.
Super Meat Boy‘s special edition will be available to order from Team Meat’s website by the end of January, after the level editor update is released, and will cost somewhere around $ 20 or $ 25. It will include behind the scenes videos, concept art, and other fun stuff.
Thanks to its extensive replay value and nearly unlimited possibilities, Minecraft became one of the sleeper hits of the year. Coded in Java by Swede Markus Persson, the title took the intertubes by storm in mid-May, causing gamers the world over to abandon their lovingly rendered next-gen titles and delve into a world of full chunky, bitmapped blocks. Once they arrived in that world, they let their imaginations run wild, taking advantage of the game’s robust sandboxing and world-building options to craft all sorts of epic creations. We’ve compiled videos of the year’s best. Check ‘em out!
Big River
The most amusing part of this video is the sheer delight with which its creators greet the titular torrent of water. “DAMN THIS IS EPIC WATER,” effuses one of them in chat. The whole thing is imbued with the kind of unrestrained glee usually reserved for epic, come-from-behind sports victories. In fact, it’s just a bunch of guys watching a digitized flash flood. Also, you gotta love the fact that the river was pre-seeded with a boat and a shark before they actually let the water in.
A Conflagration of LOL
There’s really nothing better than videos of guys with nasal voices trying to demonstrate their expertise at something, only to fail spectacularly. The great irony of this video is the fact that the creator makes it because people are purportedly asking him for advice on how to manage fire in Minecraft. They should really re-think that approach. The sound of this dude’s rueful nerd-brogue as he watches results of his handiwork is truly gut-busting.
Your Favorite Games Go Minecraft
If there’s one thing that gamers will never, ever get enough of, it’s the pants-wetting delight of seeing their favorite old-school games recreated inside other games! I mean really — what could be better than that? Thanks to Minecraft’s infinite customizability, enterprising people have been hard at work re-rendered old favorites with the help of the game’s block-tastic engine.
Minecraft Recreation of Doom
The striking thing about this video is how much this actually resembles Doom. You know technology has come a long way when you can use a deliberately low-fi Java game to recreate 1993′s cutting-edge graphics, all from the comfort of your parent’s basement.
Minecraft Recreation of Bioshock
This is actually quite impressive. Instead of just sitting around and pondering what a terrible game Bioshock 2 was, Penny Arcade community member Ein decided to craft something epic — a stunningly faithful recreation of the city of Rapture, Minecraft-style. Starting with the game’s distinctive intro, this pair of videos takes you through most of the game’s important junctures, including the unforgettable confrontation with Andrew Ryan himself.
Reconstructing of Real Life
Considering the number of beloved Nintendo heroes out there, it comes as something as a surprise that people ever got around to recreating other, less retro-awesome things. They did, though, and with some aplomb.
Notre Dame
Gotta love the “ecclesiastical metal” soundtrack on this one. Medieval architects designed their towering cathedrals in order to awe parishioners and make them fear the glory of God; lessening their time in purgatory was a fringe benefit. This user created his cathedral in order to awe the people on YouTube — viral video is quickly overtaking Christianity as the world’s most popular religion, after all. And if he’s not rewarded in the afterlife for all the time spent making this, the Man Upstairs has some ‘splaining to do.
Reichstag
As seat of the German parliament, the Reichstag has had a long and colorful history. First, it was burnt down in 1933 by a Dutch anarchist. Then it was bombed during WWII. More recently, it was wrapped in silver cloth by Christo, then rebuilt by the German government, which installed a snazzy new glass dome on top. All of these dramatic developments pale in comparison to the honor it receives in this video: being recreated in Minecraft!
Empire State Building
This video doesn’t feature the kind of extensive ogling that some of the other Minecraft architectural models are subject to, but the sheer scale of the building is definitely impressive. If you’re going to spend hours of your life recreating buildings in a computer program, shouldn’t they at least be obvious phallic symbols?
16-Bit ALU
This video represents some sort of philosophical paradox. The guy used a computer to build a computer! You can’t argue with the design skills and technical know-how involved, but you do have to wonder if he’s seen a vagina in person since he popped out of the womb.
Rollercoaster
I’ll admit it: I spent a lot of time back in the day playing Rollercoaster Tycoon. There was something about maintaining that precious balance between “thrilling” and “nauseating” that never got old. I’m thinking that the creator of this video did too, and he used his leftover ‘coaster-design skills to cook up this baby. Somehow, the lack of a physics engine makes it seem all the more dangerous.
Recreation of Earth
Some people think small. Other people think big. Why settle for a building, when you can Minecraft yourself an entire planet? This video defines epic, and I particularly like the scaffolding-type structure that’s holding Earth in place. It’s as if some over-tanned politician’s wife is about to break a bottle of Dom Perignon over the Yucatan Penninsula and shout “Bon Voyage!”
Warp Factor Five
You guys knew this was coming, didn’t you? For sheer scale, ambition, and crushing deployment of OCD in the service of something completely useless, this video really can’t be beat. Also, the guys voice sounds exactly like you’d expect it to. Enjoy! And “Live Long and Prosper,” while you’re at it, I guess.
We’re in the final month of 2010, but the world of PC gaming’s managed to save one of its biggest releases for last: World of Warcraft: Cataclysm (which our sister site WoW Insider knows way, way more about). Let’s see how the other late-2010 PC games fared over the past week.
Continue reading The Best of Big Download – November 29 – December 5
The Best of Big Download – November 29 – December 5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Dec 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Oh man. You didn’t just read that title and go, “What, you mean Halo and Call of Duty,” did you?
Damn. So did I. It’s gonna be a long morning.
Looking back, 2010 was actually a pretty thin year for the FPS. Sure, we got entries into the big franchises — Halo, Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, BioShock and Battlefield all saw updates this year, but none of them is exactly spectacular. If you owned a Mac, you finally got a chance to play Half-Life 2; that was kind of cool. Wii players got to pitch throwing knives like it was 1997, but it was 2010 and they were using Wii Remotes in Goldeneye 007. Whoo-hoo.
There aren’t many standouts, and certainly nothing breathtaking. Goldeneye was not some kind of FPS rapture (although we kinda hoped it would be), BioShock 2 seriously lacked the flare of the original, and the story of Halo: Reach has been known since Halo 1 — everyone dies at the end, because the Covenant nuke that freakin’ planet. Spoiler alert.
Still, there were some great moments in FPS play this year, and the GameFront staff got together to talk about our favorite first-person shooters of 2010. Behold, our picks: If you want to shoot something, these are this year’s games to do it in.
Halo: Reach
Shawn Sines’ pick
This may sound like a cop out since I’m choosing one of the biggest game launches of the year for the Xbox 360, but honestly, Halo: Reach delivered for me in so many ways. First, it was the swan song for Bungie that lets them go off and do something not-Halo — which I’m interested in — and it also told a story I already knew the ending to in a way that actually made me care.
The events surrounding the fall of Reach were really well-established in dialog of the previous Halo games and the published novel, but I found Noble Team’s conflict a lot more relatable than the superhero Master Chief was by the end of Halo 3. From a gameplay standard, Halo: Reach dared to push things a bit with the space missions, which I also enjoyed more than I expected.
Multiplayer is the bread and butter of the Halo community and the marginal updates to this game mode were nice. The addition and enhancements of Firefight mode are still the best fun I’ve had playing Halo since the 10-year-old crowd took over the game scene, spouting pointless obscenities, years ago. Sure, the average maturity level of the online Halo player is still about 12, but in Firefight I can manage to ignore them.
Phil Hornshaw’s two cents: Simply adding a decent sprinting ability makes this one of the year’s best shooters. I’ve been waiting for a way to escape sniper 12-year-olds for almost a decade.
Metro 2033: The Last Refuge
Phil Owen’s pick
Quite simply, Metro 2033 is the most immersive gaming experience I had this year. I’ve written this year about the importance of world-building in games in reference to open-world titles like Red Dead Redemption and Fallout, but the same thought applies here; the world of Moscow’s metro system — and the bombed-out city above — as constructed by 4A is as breathtaking as it is unforgettable.
But where Metro 2033 really makes its mark is in its story progression. As I made my way through the tunnels and became more aware of the desperate situation befalling my fellow humans, I couldn’t help but feel as if I were taking part in an epic and impossible journey to save the world — even though the scope of the story never extends beyond Moscow.
The first-person shooter genre is special because it literally puts you in the head of the protagonist. Few games have ever done that — truly done that — as well as Metro 2033 does.
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Phil Hornshaw’s pick
If it weren’t for its impossible-to-overlook multiplayer, Black Ops would actually have been kind of terrible. There’s a lot about this game I don’t like: its kind of awkward, choppy story; its auto-pilot-y, monotonous campaign mode; its lackluster, if not totally rage-inducing, helicopter portions (although I might be in the minority on that one — see Jon Soucy’s comments below).
But then there’s this:
EMBED-Black Ops Random Care Package Kill – Watch more free videos
The quality of the multiplayer experience in Black Ops is augmented only by the ability to capture the ridiculous moments that happen in it with the Theater mode. And Treyarch found a quality way to improve on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2′s already spectacular multiplayer mechanics by making them fully customizable with its points purchasing system.
The improvements to last year’s title, for me, make Black Ops the definitive FPS online multiplayer experience of the year. All the rewarding game play features of the last few iterations of CoD are back, but Treyarch has made some very cool improvements to keep the online modes fresh. Contracts, wager matches, new challenges: all take your thinking and planning of how you’re going to be killing virtual soldiers controlled by French kids to another, better level.
Plus, you can play the Zombies mode straight out of the box, and when you finish the game, you can do so as John “Freakin’ Zombie Asskicker” Kennedy. The upsides of playing with your friends vastly outweigh Sam Worthington’s overwrought voice acting. (Is there a reason that he just screams some lines? I still haven’t figured that out why he’s getting so angry about explaining simple concepts like, “We went there to shoot that guy.”)
Jon Soucy’s two-cents: Best single-player FPS experience in 2010, with good variation of game play accompanied with unique level design and diversity. The story was interesting and well put-together with a good twist. Plus the helicopter piloting was just awesome cool!
Cabella’s Dangerous Hunts 2011
Mark Burham’s pick
Shut up, Call of Duty. This is the most fun I’ve had playing a first-person shooter all year. Everything else felt like a beautifully polished door knob — we’ve seen it before, everywhere. But now it’s shinier.
And honestly, Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2011 doesn’t do anything different, either. In fact, it’s kind of a parody of first-person shooters, even if it doesn’t realize it. It’s unintentionally hilarious. You’re in the woods with your buddies, and you’re lookin’ to take down some game. You main goal is to hunt and kill animals in the woods, and enjoy it. You’d envision there’s a trip to a steak house lodge planned after the killing sesh, which you never get to.
My favorite character is the main guy leading your crew. He is a mix between Solid Snake, Anthony Hopkins in the movie The Edge, and your hunting grandpa. He has a glass eye, and he doesn’t care.
You basically walk around in the snow and shoot at wolves, deer, mountain lions and bears that walk in front of your gun. The gameplay is actually faster than you’d expect. Wolves charge mercilessly in packs. It’s crazy.
One good/bad touch is, there are these slow-motion x-ray vision quick time events. Beasts hurl themselves at you in slo-mo, and you can see their insides (for no explained reason. You just have that super power at that time). So you have to shoot their heart for a “heartshot,” or their head for a “headshot.”
My point is, the whole thing is a ridiculous riot. It’s a game you can play drunk with a friend and have the best time ever. It doesn’t demand a lot of you. It is simply a gift, and one you can enjoy with a non-gamer friend. It definitely has that power: non-gamers will go ape-sh*t for this. Guaranteed. Final note: Phil Owen approves of the Cabela series, and his enjoyment of playing games while drinking is well documented.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Ron Whitaker’s pick
I’ve always loved the Battlefield series, but Battlefield 2 and 2142 dwindled my interest a bit with heavy focus on vehicles. Bad Company 2 hitting PC this year was a godsend, especially for those of us who aren’t fans of Call of Duty’s multiplayer frenzy.
The Battlefield games have always had great balance, interesting maps, and solid mechanics, a legacy that Bad Company 2 carries on on well. It offers several games modes, including the popular Rush as well as classic Conquest, the mode that made Battlefield famous. All of this is powered by the Frostbite engine, which lets you destroy trees, walls, buildings, and more. There’s nothing quite like the feeling on causing a building to fall down on your enemy.
Everyone wants multiplayer progression these days, and BC2 delivers that as well, offering 50 levels and a pile of unlocks. These unlocks aren’t overly powerful, which helps preserve the game balance, but they do reward you for time spent and good play. You can also work toward collecting all the medals and ribbons for online accomplishments.
The singleplayer campaign is short and a bit disappointing, but the multiplayer is just so good that it doesn’t matter. To make things even better, DICE is set to roll out a brand new Vietnam-based expansion that should bring even more people into their online world.
Without question, Bad Company 2 set the bar for multiplayer shooters in 2010, and nothing else even got close. It’s easily my favorite shooter of the year.
Jon Soucy’s two-cents: Best multiplayer ground-pounder Battlefield game in years. It gets back to the roots of BF1942′s troop vs. vehicle balancing. Loads of unlockables and a fair amount of reasons to keep blasting the n00bs in multiplayer. If you’re a long-time FPS or Battlefield fan and haven’t tried Bad Company 2 — you FAIL.
You don’t know flickr user Encaja en Camon, but rest assured that the account in question has some pretty awesome and simple LEGO adaptations of famous games and their characters. Above, you can check out Sonic’s blocky noggin, while just past the break we’ve included a couple of our other favorites.
Continue reading LEGO art pays homage to some of gaming’s best
LEGO art pays homage to some of gaming’s best originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
We hope all of you have enjoyed the Thanksgiving/Black Friday festivities — we know we certainly have. Before we begrudgingly haul ourselves back into work tomorrow, let’s take a look back at Big Download’s highlights from the past seven days.
Exclusive Features
2010 Holiday Gift Guides: We give you suggestions on what PC games and related hardware to give to your PC gaming fan for the holidays
Reviews: We give our final verdicts for Blade Kitten, DeathSpank and Poker Night at the Inventory along with a review of the Psyko 5.1 PC Gaming Headset.
Magic The Gathering Tactics interview – We chat with Sony Online about the upcoming downloadable turn-based strategy game.
Continue reading The Best of Big Download – November 22 – 28
The Best of Big Download – November 22 – 28 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Nov 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
[IndieGames.com: The Weblog co-editor Tim W. rounds up some of the week's top free and commercial indie games from his sister 'state of indie' weblog.] This week on ‘Best Of Indie Games’, we take a look at some of the top independent PC Flash/downloadable titles released over this last week. The goodies in this edition include a 2D platformer designed as an obstacle course, a Metroid-like exploration game, an homage to the great Oregon Trail, …
A new survey by Cowan & Company has concluded that software for the core videogames market is still the best investment for a traditional publishing company, despite the rise of online social gaming and multi-use devices.
Less than five per cent of 2301 respondents said that they had bought fewer console games as a result of increased time playing online, social or free-to-play titles, and games on hardware such as the iPad.
And although demand for motion controllers Move and Kinect is high amongst owners of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the results indicate that demand from non-owners of the home consoles appears “tepid.”
The Best of Big Download – November 29 – December 5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Dec 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
[IndieGames.com: The Weblog co-editor Tim W. rounds up some of the week's top free and commercial indie games from his sister 'state of indie' weblog.] This week on ‘Best Of Indie Games’, we take a look at some of the top independent PC Flash/downloadable titles released over this last week. The goodies in this edition include a 2D platformer designed as an obstacle course, a Metroid-like exploration game, an homage to the great Oregon Trail, …
