PixlBit

With little interest in the future, Sly's latest outing meddles mostly in the past.

Mascot games are kind of my thing. Mario, arguably the first ever platform “mascot” (with all apologies to Pitfall Harry and Pac-Man), is the dude that lured me into a lifelong obsession with video games in the first place. I gobble up practically every one I come across and among them the Sly Cooper games have remained a stand-out franchise. With a trilogy of games hitting the PlayStation 2, it seemed only natural that Sly would find his way to the PlayStation 3. But with Sucker Punch moving on to inFAMOUS it seemed any hope of a current generation Sly game would be going up in smoke. Thankfully Sanzaru, developer of the acclaimed HD trilogy treatment, stepped up to the plate and took the series in its charge. Could they regain Sly’s former glory?

Read more »

This issue of PB & Jason was spoken in real time!

The key phrase at the PlayStation 4 announcement event was "...in real time." A point this PB & Jason tries to make is that real-time, scripted footage produces visuals that are often of higher quality than actual gameplay footage, and unfortunately, developers and publishers take advantage of that fact. Regardless, this week's PB & Jason covers last week's Nintendo Direct in brief, and then tackles the announcements of the PlayStation2013 event. Impressions of the reveals are mixed: Most of the actual features included in the PS4, like trying games instantly and streaming your game feed from the console, sound very interesting. The game announcements and trailers, however, seemed disappointing at the same time. PB & Jason is recorded in front of a live studio audience every Wednesday, weather permitting. Click through for listening and download links!

Read more »

Publishers aren't the main reason horror franchises are quick to lose the scares.

It’s hard to talk about games like Resident Evil 6 and Dead Space 3 without having someone go off on a tangent on how the publishers “ruined” these series by trying to broaden the series fanbases – moving beloved franchises away from their horror roots and towards the more spectacle driven action genre.  There is an idiom of truth to this complaint.  Horror doesn’t generate Call of Duty sales volume.  It’s a niche genre where only the exceptional few break into the mainstream.  Action titles, counterparts of the money eating summer movie blockbusters, appeal to a much greater audience and are thus able to bring in much more cash.  So yes, it makes sense that the “big bad” publishers would be responsible for the taming of your favorite horror franchise.

Read more »

The last big game development studio owned by the House of Mouse has closed.

Disney has shuttered Junction Point Studios. While it's good news for Disney's bottom line (and for people who don't enjoy games of low quality,) it makes one wonder who is at fault in a time like this. PB & Jason 113 explores that question a little bit, but in the end, the obvious conclusion, Warren Spector, is reached. Aside from that, issue 113 follows-up last week's Wired's Chris Kohler "Nintendo Direct Vaporware" article taking Kohler's follow-up article into consideration. PB & Jason also includes more Ni no Kuni, which admittedly, is shaping up not quite be the game expected, for better and for worse.  All this and more in this week's PB & Jason! Click through for the listening and download links!

Read more »