Sunday Roundup: 1/29/12

Another visit to Lafayette and another trip into Disc Replay. What that all boils down to is me finding new excuses to throw my money away. Personally it’s always a small victory every time I get to buy a new old game: I feel like I’m doing the game a personal favor by freeing it from the confines of the store rack. Also, there were some great deals at Best Buy this week: Lots of new game for just about every console were on clearance. And to make things better, I felt even more victorious this week since I wasn’t able to get any new titles the previous week! Huzzah!

 

Gameplay Vault: Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure

There has been no short supply of good games for me to play these past few weeks, especially after receiving so many excellent gifts from friends and family over the holidays. I’m surprised, however, that after wanting to play Skyrim for so long and finally getting the game for my own, I have spent my time instead playing Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure on the PS3. The game certainly is unique (with physical toys being used to represent your avatars on screen), but why has it held my interest over the much more acclaimed Skyrim? Why have so many games come out recently with “Sky” in their name? Maybe it’s a coincidence, but what if it’s something more? Hmmm…

 

Yearly Roundup: 2011

As 2011 comes to an end, I thought it would be a cool idea to look back at the year in games. Specifically, the year in games added to my ever-growing library. If you’re a frequent visitor to the site (I greatly hope you are!) you’ll no doubt know I do a weekly blog post about my newest games. So below I’ve collected every game I added this year (well, really only half-year, because I started this blog in late July). I’ve also linked any relevant posts I’ve done about said games, like reviews, Modern Classics, and gameplay videos. Enjoy the small retrospective, and here’s to another fantastic year in gaming in 2012!

 

Sunday Roundup: 12/25/11

Merry Christmas everyone!

Not really a tradition and more so my tastes don’t really change, every Christmas I usually receive a few video games from my family. This year was no exception, and I am eternally grateful and pleased that my loved ones get me any gifts, let alone games that I really want to play! Here’s what 2011 did for Jsick this Christmas.

 

What Makes A Game “Rare”?

To follow up on my last post about video game collecting, I wanted to go through some of the games in my collection and discuss why they are considered to be “rare.” A game can fluctuate in price fairly easily and the cause of this change can originate from many different places, not the least of which being scarcity of the item. So as a collector, what do you need to look for in a game, and more importantly, what games should you look for to add that special gem to your collection.

 

Video Game Hunting & Collecting 101

One of the most exciting part about being a gamer is the joy of finding a new game. It’s always great when a new title comes out, especially for a series you’ve played in the past and enjoyed (like Marvel vs. Capcom 3), but I’m talking about when you find an older game. One you’ve been looking to find for a long time. One that might be a rare spectacle in and of itself. These are the exciting moments I’m talking about. After eight or so years, I think I’ve amassed quite a collection of titles, and I’ve learned a good deal from my experiences. If you’re thinking of starting a collection, already have a pile of games sitting around, or just want to learn the best ways to get the games you’re looking for, this article is for you.

 

Worth Playing vol. 2: The Fighting Edition

If you’ve been playing games at all the last two years or so you’ve probably noticed the fairly large amount of fighting games being released. It’s a second coming for the fighter, which saw most of its best entries come out in the 90s. I decided to take a look back at some of the fighting games I remember playing when I was younger, as well as some of more current titles that can slug it out with the best of them.

Get ready fighters.

Go for it, man!

 

Review: LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7

The magical world of Harry Potter meets the magic that is Lego in LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7. A continuation of Years 1-4, Years 5-7 wraps up the last three books and four movies of Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s adventures to stop He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named from causing certain doom for wizards and muggles alike. Following the same family friendly formula as past LEGO titles, LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 sits nicely as a rare game that combines fun gameplay with a challenge that’s accessible to all ages.

 

 

Things Learned From Being A Game Reviewer

I’ve been writing video game reviews for over two years now, and there’s been some things I’ve learned over that span of time. I don’t mean better writing techniques, for which I’ve picked up quite a few, but rather the things you don’t think about until they rear their head. Since not everyone has written reviews before, I wanted to take some time to reflect on my time spent writing, and give some insight on what it takes to be a freelance video game reviewer.

 

 

 

Sunday Roundup: 11/20/11 (The Monday Edition!)

Now that’s more like it.

A great haul this week, spanning from the PS1, PS2, and the Xbox 360.

I love it when I get a great deal on a lot of games.