Originally Published: April 21, 2010, to ESPNNewYork.com and PlayerAffinity.com
With the delay of Geek Stuff coming over to the new site, obviously it has taken more time to get everything re-acclimated. So, without any further delay, here are my experiences over the three days up in Boston for the highly anticipated, 1st annual, PAX East video game convention.
Originally Published: February 19, 2010, on Lundberg.me, Examiner.com, Original-Gamer.com, and 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com)
It was one of the most talked about titles from E3 2009 and after several delays, psychological thriller fans will finally see their dreams turn into living nightmares on May 18, 2010, with the long anticipated release of Alan Wake for the Xbox 360.
For those of you caught unawares, Alan Wake sees the title character, a horror writer, and his wife taking a vacation in a tranquil Pacific Northwestern city trying to help Alan overcome his writer’s block. Once in the town though, Alan starts having nightmares and wakes up one night to find his wife is missing and a story he can’t remember writing has come to life. As Alan scrounges about the wilderness collecting pages from his otherworldly novel, trying to find his wife and unravel the mystery of where the book came from, he must combat members of the community who have been consumed by a poltergeist-like darkness.
Done in a cinematic like style that sees each level of Alan’s exploration broken down into something like episodes out of the X-Files (even with a nice little narrator’s “On the last episode of…” montage between levels), Alan Wake is a story that can’t help but pull you in.
On that note, I had a chance to catch up with the man behind the story of Alan Wake, Remedy Entertainment Lead Writer Sam Lake.
Alan Wake Preview – Ray Carsillo w/ Lead Writer Sam Lake
Video by Jared Bodden
Originally Published: February 9, 2010, on 1050ESPN.com (Now ESPNNewYork.com) and Lundberg.me
It was a meeting of the minds. Two comic book geeks would enter and only one would leave…
My sitdown with Sara “Babs” Lima continues now with this, the third part of our three part interview. In this part of the interview, we talked about how important it was becoming for comics, movies, and video games to all inter-promote each other and how this triple brand attack was working for different franchises.
We also discussed her thoughts the most recent movie trailers on comic-based movie .
We finished up with her input on an age old debate that we like to have here at ESPN behind the scenes and that is Luke Skywalker vs. Wolverine: Who would win?
Ray Carsillo w/ Sara Lima of Comicvine.com – Pt. 3
Video by Jared Bodden
Originally Published: February 3, 2010, on Lundberg.me and 1050ESPN.com (Now ESPNNewYork.com)
It was a meeting of the minds. Two comic book geeks would enter and only one would leave…
My sitdown with Sara “Babs” Lima continues now with this, the second part of our three part interview. In this part of the interview, we discussed out mutual love of the Dark Knight and exchanged thoughts on DC killing off Bruce Wayne and their announcement of his return in April 2010.
We also discussed theories on who will appear in Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 and what we thought of the first of this new video game franchise written by Paul Dini and starring many of the voices from Batman: The Animated Series.
Sara also revealed some of her favorite and least favorite Batman stories and writers as we continue our in-depth look at the first lady of comic books. Check it out below!
Ray Carsillo w/ Sara Lima of Comicvine.com – Pt. 2
Video by Jared Bodden
Originally Published: January 29, 2010, on 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com) and Lundberg.me
It was a meeting of the minds. Two comic book geeks would enter and only one would leave…
Okay so it wasn’t that epic, but it was a rare opportunity for me to talk to a hot chick who wouldn’t run away (hopefully). This hot chick just so happens to be an editor for the second largest online comic book community and archive.
Sara Lima, geeks everywhere may know her better as “Babs”, is an editor for Comicvine.com, a branch of Whiskey Media. Comicvine.com is set up as a community where geeks of all shapes, sizes, and orientations can come to share ideas and thoughts on one of our favorite mediums, comic books, via another one of our favorite mediums, the internet!
Sara, originally from the tri-state area by way of Brazil, was visiting family for the holidays when I lured her to one of our studios to chat about comics.
This video is the first part of our near half hour sitdown as we discussed everything from comic book movie adaptations to the state of the comic industry itself. In this first part though, I just wanted to get to know a little more about our favorite first lady of Comicvine.
Ray Carsillo w/ Sara Lima of Comicvine.com – Pt. 1
Video by Jared Bodden
Originally Published: January 5, 2010, on 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com) and Lundberg.me
Continuing the momentum of my last article previewing games coming out in 2010, I had a chance here in NYC to get a hands-on preview with some of the biggest upcoming titles for the first quarter of 2010 for Sony’s PS3. Among the titles we looked at include God of War 3, Just Cause 2, Bayonetta, Dante’s Inferno, and Dark Void. I know that Bayonetta actually comes out today, but it is still a good way for those of you who may be on the fence to take a look at some game footage, stills, and get some info from the folks over at Sega themselves. So, without further ado, I present to you my PS3 Q1 2010 preview!
Ray Carsillo Q1 2010 PS3 Preview Party
Video by Jared Bodden
Originally Published: December 14, 2009, on 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com) and Lundberg.me
Ever since the Madden franchise acquired rights exclusivity to the NFL, there have been several alternatives to try and put a dent in the near impenetrable armor that surrounds the football powerhouse that is Madden. Another new contender is stepping into the ring though and it isn’t necessarily emphasizing the truck stick.
QuickHit.com is a website that offers a free flash based football game that will rack the brains of Fantasy Football heroes and test the mettle of Madden die-hards alike by combining RPG elements with the pure strategy that you would find out on the gridiron.
RPG elements? Flash based? FREE?! That’s right. It doesn’t get more revolutionary than this. No downloads required and no credit card either. In fact, before writing this article, I got a quick game in at work even though I signed up on my home PC if you’re questioning the download part.
Aside from the pure strategy involved with calling all the plays since you’re your custom team’s head coach (and if you’re a rookie in that department, NFL Legend Bill Cowher lends a few suggestions along the way), you can also decide what players to train (level up) between games and what new abilities they can learn (offensive linemen can learn moves to help them get a pancake block, running backs can break more tackles, etc., etc.).
Now, of course, a team with a higher level will have a clear advantage, but the best part will be when two evenly matched teams duke it out as it is a true test of your football acumen that you just can’t find in the often glitch riddled gameplay of Madden (there are ALWAYS at least five plays that will ALWAYS work).
A downside for many people though will be that the game isn’t the best looking, but anyone who is a true football fan should be able to look past the simple flash-based graphics and appreciate the great football gameplay that is played out before you, as you get the instant gratification or instant frustration as you see how the play you called turns out.
There is only so much I can tell you about QuickHit.com, so I had an opportunity to talk with the Director of Design on QuickHit.com, Brandon Justice, and I think he can tell you much better than I could just how awesome QuickHit.com is so be sure to check out the video over here!
QuickHit.com Football Preview with Director of Design Brandon Justice and Ray Carsillo
Video by Jared Bodden
So, if you are looking for an alternative to Madden or Madden Head Coach and don’t want to keep dropping the $60 every year for updated rosters and tweaked graphics, QuickHit.com might be the answer for you. It’s as simple as going there right now and signing up for FREE (Of course, with it being free there are a couple of short ads you might have to sit through between quarters, but they take about as long as the ridiculous load times Madden 10 had this year)!
Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best.
Graphics: 7.5: It is hard to judge graphics on a flash game because you know right off the bat it could never compare to the power of a console game, and QuickHit.com admits that it would be impossible for them to try (at this point in time, anyway), so in comparison to other flash and free online games, the looks for this game are solid, especially in all the menus.
Audio: 5.0: Generic pads clashing, whistles, and other football related SFX mixed with generic music gives this a middle of the road score.
Plot/Plot Development: N/A: It’s a sports sim (with RPG elements)…
Gameplay: 9.0: This is one of the key elements that QuickHit.com shines in. A plethora of plays that are easily selectable with drop down menus that whittle down your options to the specific play you are looking for, no glitches that I was able to notice, and the fantasy football RPG elements between games to level up your players will appeal to every guy who has ever played Fantasy Football and loves tweaking his roster from week to week.
Replay Value: 10.0: RPG and sports games are possibly the most addicting games due to the obsession you develop over time when it comes to leveling up and tweaking your roster as you make another run to a championship. Combining those elements will keep football fans coming back for more. Millions will be lost in workplaces across the country as people keep playing football at QuickHit.com!
Overall (not an average): 8.5: For a work in progress, this is a very addictive and fun (and cheap!) way to pass the time. It can only get better as new features get added to it and it already has a rock solid base to work from.
-Ray Carsillo
Originally Published: November 23, 2009, on 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com) and Lundberg.me
New Super Mario Bros. Wii Red Carpet w/ Ray Carsillo
Video by Jared Bodden
He is the most recognizable figure in video games and Nintendo is celebrating his 25th anniversary (23rd in the US) by releasing an old-school side-scroller that pays homage to his decorated lineage. Of course I am talking about Mario and speaking of that lineage, Nintendo threw a party at the Nintendo World Store in Rockefeller Center for Mario’s anniversary and I was lucky enough to attend. Take a look at the video!
The new game is New Super Mario Bros. Wii and it takes elements from the greatest of Mario’s titles from over the years (mostly Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World, with hints of the original Super Mario Bros., Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island and Super Mario 64 sprinkled in). Princess Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser for the millionth time and it is up to Mario to traverse eight worlds (inspired by Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World) broken up into 69 different stages.
To make matters more difficult, Bowser has pulled out all the stops. After their 18-year hiatus, the seven Koopalings (again from Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World) Larry, Morton Jr., Wendy O., Iggy, Lemmy, Ludwig von, and Roy are back along with Bowser Jr. to defend the castles at the end of each world. Bowser Jr. is also traveling in style since Bowser’s old airship has been rebuilt and will continue to pester Mario on his quest. Also brought back into the mix are the many varieties of brothers who used to pester Mario way back in Super Mario Bros. 3. Hammer, Boomerang, Giant Hammer, Fire, and Wrench brothers are back along with the all-new Ice brothers, and always seem to pop up in Mario’s path at the worst possible moments.
To help combat the largest roster of baddies Mario has ever had to face, Mario has been given several brand new powers along with his payload of Invincibility Stars, Fire Flowers, and Super and Mini-Mushrooms.
The first is the Propeller Mushroom that gives Mario limited flight abilities (anyone remember the Tanooki Suit, Raccoon Leaf, or Cape Feather?) as well as increases his spin attack. The next item is the Ice Flower. Similar to the Fire Flower, Mario throws snowballs now that freeze his opponents in huge blocks of ice that he can then use as stepping stones to make it to higher ground or to pick up and throw at other enemies. The final new item, the Penguin Suit, is a multi-purpose tool. It not only allows you to walk on ice with minimal slipping, but you can throw snowballs like with the Ice Flower and swim better as well (memories of the Frog Suit come flooding back to me now). They even brought Yoshi back, but unfortunately, he can only be used on the stages you find him in, he can’t travel with Mario anymore.
This game is the ultimate shot of nostalgia for any gamer who grew up with the Mario Bros. franchise. There may be a few new additions to the franchise like new items and the 4-player co-op gameplay, but aside from that this is just plain old-school Mario Bros. (they even brought back item reserves that you can access from the world map like in Super Mario Bros. 3).
The graphics are crisp, clean, and make this probably the best looking side-scroller I’ve ever seen. Mix that with the classic Mario music, SFX, and Charles Martinet as Mario and the peripherals for this game don’t come much better.
The plot is the same as it is in every other Mario Bros. game, but we wouldn’t have it any other way and with 4-player co-op adding new levels of fun and intensity, this could be the greatest Mario game ever. Along with the 4-player co-op adding tons of replay value and a new level of difficulty to the game, there are also three special star coins on each stage that unlock something special at the end of the game if you collect them all…
The only real knock I have with this game is the single-player difficulty. I beat the entire game with 50-plus lives in just under 6 hours and was left wanting more. With an abundance of items and 1UP chances available, there is no reason why you should die repeatedly on any stage or against any boss (all you need is to jump on all their heads three times, works every time). I think Nintendo was worried about trying to cram in every single obscure reference to previous Mario incarnations that they forgot to add a little more difficulty to some of these levels.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii is available now and looks to stack up as the greatest Mario side-scroller of all-time.
Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest.
Graphics: 9.0: This is the best looking side-scoller ever in the Mario series simply because this is the most advanced system for a Mario side-scroller to be on. Need I say more? Although tiny Mario (before he eats the Super Mushroom) did look a little weird at times.
Audio: 10.0: Charles Martinet coming back for a Mario’s limited dialogue combined with the classic SFX and music we’ve all come to know and love and the audio is spectacular.
Plot/Plot Development: 10.0: I don’t know how the same thing has worked for the past 25 years, but it has and I’m more than happy with it just being “Peach gets kidnapped by Bowser, Mario chases after Bowser, Mario stomps on Bowser (or throws fireballs), and Mario rescues Peach”. If something is not broken, don’t fix it, and Nintendo knows that better than anyone.
Gameplay: 8.5: For the most part the game handles perfectly and is classic Mario action in every way. I love the new items, I love all the nostalgia, I just wish it was a little more difficult.
Replay Value: 9.0: Like I said, the lack of difficulty might keep you from wanting to come back, but 4-player co-op, tons of collectibles, and classic Mario action should outweigh the difficulty factor.
Overall (not an average): 9.0: This game is a must have for any Mario fan and gamers who grew up with the series will jump for joy with all the old-school elements brought back. The only real knock on the game is that I didn’t think it was as hard as it could’ve been or had been hyped to be. At the end of the day though this is still a great game and most gamers should go crazy for all the nostalgia this conjures up. And hopefully it won’t be another 18 years before we see the Koopalings again.
-Ray Carsillo
Originally Published: November 20, 2009, on 1050ESPN.com (Now ESPNNewYork.com) and later re-published in the Nintendo Wii archives of ClassicGameRoom.com
Olympic Snowboarder Shaun White with Ray Carsillo
Video by Jared Bodden
I’m the first to admit that I know little to nothing about snowboarding. The only shredding I know about has to deal with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles character and the only carving I generally do concerns next week’s turkey. The one time in my life I did hit the slopes, I looked more like a Looney Tunes character rolling down the mountainside as the snow collected around my body. But when Olympic gold medalist snowboarder Shaun White comes out with a sequel to his hit video game franchise and wants to sit down for a few minutes (check out the video!), I’m more than happy to brush back up on the subject.
After sitting down with man the game is named after, I grabbed myself a copy of Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage (a Wii exclusive), turned my Wii Balance Board sideways, and geared up for one of the most fun gaming experiences I’ve had all year.
The game opens with a cut scene featuring Shaun and several of his friends as they head to their central base of operations, an airport (so they could have quick access to some of the worlds most premiere courses), as they prepare to move up the international snowboarding rankings and try to make a run at the World Championships. Of course, the higher your rank becomes, the harder it is to keep moving up as the competition and the courses increase in difficulty accordingly.
The boarders are a little cartoony looking, as is typical with many of the Wii’s best games, but aside from that, the game looks beautiful. From snow covering your boarder if you fall flat on your face (which I am very accustomed to) to detailed designs of all the courses used, the game surprisingly delivers big-time on the visuals.
The audio is pretty average. It has a few sweet tracks from Kiss and Andrew W.K. as you shred, but it needs a larger selection to keep me entertained as I perform barrel rolls down the half-pipe. Shaun and the other boarders who lend their voices do a pretty good job at sounding natural and enthusiastic, which was a nice surprise. There isn’t a lot to expect in terms of SFX aside from generic crowd noise so the audio mixers weren’t exactly strained as this game was being put together.
The best part of this game is clearly the gameplay. Using the Wii balance board, you feel like you’re actually on the slopes as you apply pressure to different quadrants on the board to perform a plethora of tricks from tail grabs to indies to gorillas. I don’t recommend playing the game for extended periods of time though because if you play for four or five hours straight, like I did after getting addicted to the game, you’re sure to break a sweat and maybe give yourself a stiff neck from straining your neck left or right constantly as you grind over the always fresh powder.
A real downside for the game is that it’ll probably only take you 10 hours of gameplay to blow through the 100 world ranks and to challenge Shaun as the top dog, but to help bolster the replay value, the game is online capable and there is a new feature where you can design your own tricks to only add to the last version of this game’s awesome customization features.
Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage successfully avoids a sophomore slump and comes out strong with seamless gameplay and awesome additions like new courses, boarders, and online vs. modes. Even if you are not a fan of snowboarding, this is a ridiculously fun game and you can very easily find yourself addicted to it.
Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage is out now exclusively for the Nintendo Wii.
Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best.
Graphics: 8.0: Although I’m not a tremendous fan of the cartoony look, I understand the limitations of the Wii and it actually works well with the atmosphere the game looks to create. Add-in some sweet effects like snow covering your boarder when you screw up a trick and I can walk away content with the looks.
Audio: 7.0: Solid voice acting bolsters the game, but not enough music tracks and generic SFX drop the score into a more average range.
Plot/Plot Development: N/A: It’s a sports sim…
Gameplay: 10.0: I used the balance board when playing the game, and although there is a mode where you can only use the wiimote and nunchuck, using the balance board is the ultimate way to experience this game. Also consider that the board flawlessly responds to every shift in weight and movement you make and there isn’t a glitch in the game to speak of.
Replay Value: 8.0: Online vs. modes, create-a-trick mode, and a campaign that will take you probably around 10 hours to get through and this is a good amount to bring you back to this game, especially if you are a shred-head.
Overall (not an average): 9.0: The game wasn’t perfect. But it was so much fun. I really enjoyed every aspect of the game and only a couple of rough edges keep this from being perfect. I can’t wait to see how Shaun tries to top this year’s version in the future and I applaud the move of moving the game from other consoles to a Wii exclusive because I believe being able to focus on the Wii balance board and their control set helped them correct a few of last year’s flaws. The new features and seamless gameplay make this game a sleeper must-have for the holiday season.
-Ray Carsillo
Originally Published: November 2, 2009, on Lundberg.me, 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com), and Examiner.com
Joe “Mad” Madureira is known for his legendary artwork with his run on Uncanny X-Men. What many people may not know is that when Joe left comics, he founded his own video game company and it looks to be producing one of the hottest looking games of 2010.
Darksiders follows the story of the Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse and how War has been blamed for bringing about the Apocolypse early. Charged with clearing his name and finding the true culprits, you take over as War and use your awesome powers to fight your way through the ruins of the world on your quest for vengeance.
I had a chance to talk to Joe Mad at this year’s Big Apple ComicCon as well as get a hands on with the game’s early demo. Check out the interview below for more details on the January 5, 2010 release and some sweet footage of this sure to be action/adventure smash-hit.
Darksiders Preview with Joe “Mad” Madureira and Ray Carsillo
Video by Jared Bodden
-Ray Carsillo
RayCarsilloWrites.com 