The Game Soup

El Shaddai: Encore launches in Japan

I’m happy to see El Shaddai not only getting a new mobile game in Japan this year, but also a fresh re-release as El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron - Encore this week on the 360.

Hopefully this news prompts an entirely new wave of El Shaddai fan art on Tumblr. <3

Source: Gamasutra

Mysterious new El Shaddai project

Surprised to see this mysterious new El Shaddai teaser site this morning. I’m no longer at Ignition so I honestly don’t have a clue what this is about, but it seems to involve Pirate Lucifel and Samurai Enoch, and some intense-looking ladies who weren’t in the original El Shaddai canon. Any guesses?

Via G4TV.com.

Call of Duty: Modern Twonkfare

In case you didn’t catch it last week, here’s the only video-game related ad of Super Bowl XLVI, starring a sweaty Ricky Gervais running for his life in an impromptu Call of Duty match:

Time Warner may not be the most reliable choice in Internet service providers, but when they’re the only service offered in your area, what are you gonna do about it? WHAT THE F—

Namco knows its audience.

Not sure why Namco hasn’t been advertising its Soul Calibur series like this from the start, because hey, instant sales. They’re finally acting like they know their audience (in Japan, at least).

(via Andriasang)

My Top Ten Games of 2011

Well, there goes 2011. Last year came and went way too quickly, and a ton of great games whooshed past with it. I didn’t get to play all the hits (yet) but the ones I played definitely left their mark, and I’ve meticulously ordered them into a Top 10 list for you fine people, as is yearly tradition.

Tell me your picks in the comments! There’s always something missing from my lists and I don’t want to miss that special gem. Without further ado…

The Top 10 Games of 2011 (That I Played)

1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (360)

The sequel to one of my favorite games of all time and easily 2011’s best release. I’m 118 hours in and I’ve only scratched the surface of what the world of Skyrim has to offer.


2. Portal 2 (360)

Infinitely more polished than its predecessor (that’s saying something), and the most fun I’ve had playing co-op in ages.

Bonus Award: Best Voice Acting of 2011 for Stephen Merchant.
Bonus Award #2: Most Unplayable Game When Drunk of 2011

3. Dead Space 2 (PS3)

Instantly one of the best horror games in years, with one of the funniest ad campaigns of 2011 to boot. Also, DAT EYE SURGERY SCENE.

Bonus Award: Best Customer Service Experience of 2011 for developer Visceral Games.

4. Dark Souls (PS3)

Can’t say I really enjoyed much of my maddening 70-hour playthrough, but there’s no denying the depth and beauty of the Dark Souls world. No other series offers such a sense of accomplishment when you finally beat that asshole boss after grinding for 8 hours to level up just enough to barely survive the encounter.

5. El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron (PS3)

Even though I worked on El Shaddai earlier this year, this isn’t a biased choice. No other game in 2011 offered such masterful art direction, breathtaking original music, or (as The Onion’s A.V. Club put it), “batshit nuts” storytelling.

Gamasutra called it “a perfect example of what video games can and should do,” and I agree wholeheartedly. Every gamer needs to experience El Shaddai.

6. L.A. Noire (PS3)

L.A. Noire went far beyond its “GTA 1940s” at-a-glance visage to tell a mature, cinematic story worth playing through more than once. And boy, what an opening theme.


7. Dragon Age II (360)

Haters gonna hate, but let’s be honest: Dragon Age II gave us stronger combat mechanics, art direction, voice acting, companion characters, skill trees, and replay value over Dragon Age: Origins. It may have been less of an RPG, but it held its ground as its own game.

8. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (360)

Capcom wasn’t the best at keeping their fanbase happy in 2011, but at least they delivered the best fighting game of the year with Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Braining people with a lead pipe as Mike Haggar never gets old.

9. Quarrel (iOS)

Another title on my resume that easily earns its place on the list. I played a lot of mobile games released in 2011, but none were as addictive, polished, or nail-bitingly suspenseful as Quarrel. Who knew mashing up Risk and Scrabble would be this much fun?

10. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (360)

It’s pretty much Modern Warfare 2.5, but that’s fine with me. Sometimes you just want to turn your brain off and watch the Eiffel Tower explode. Call of Duty scratches that itch.

What I Didn’t Play (But Probably Will Someday):

Batman: Arkham City (360/PS3/PC)
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (PS3)
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (360/PS3/PC)
Battlefield 3 (360/PS3/PC)
Rayman Origins (360/PS3/Wii)
Saints Row: The Third (360/PS3/PC)
The Witcher 2 (PC)
Star Wars: The Old Republic (PC)
Terraria (PC)

What’s missing from the list? Lemme know in the comments! Happy 2012, everyone.

GTA V: back to San Andreas for more of the same?

We’ll see, when it releases to the inevitable 97 Metacritic score regardless of its contrived story, laggy driving, and 2006-era cover-based shooting mechanic. Sure looks pretty though!

Even with a million things to do, GTA IV’s single player bored me to sleep and multiplayer was a broken mess. I haven’t really enjoyed a GTA game since Vice City, and that was nearly a decade ago.

I mean, I’ll still buy this one. But we’ll see.

Sony tops itself with “Michael” spot

The gang’s all here in the Deutsch-produced “Michael” spot for Sony’s “Long Live Play” campaign: Nathan Drake, Ezio Auditore, Snake, Sackboy, Chell, Kratos, Paul Phoenix, and even that guy from the inFamous games.

Deutsch and Sony worked with 15 publishers and some of the original voice actors to bring each character to life in one ad. Well done.

Math rock meets futbol in EA’s new FIFA spot

I nearly exploded off the couch when the new FIFA Soccer 12 ad came on during the Saturday Night Live season premiere. FIFA game soundtracks have historically been pretty diverse, but I was ecstatic to hear one of my favorite tunes of 2011 (“Ice Cream” by Warp Records’ Battles) in the new TV spot. Well done!

Kevin Butler still has staying power

In the third week after its debut, Sony’s “Kevin Butler Returns as VP of PlayStation” spot clings to the Ad Age Digital top 10 viral video chart at #10. It’s good to have you back, Kev.