The Penny Arcade Expo 2009 (PAX) was held last week in Seattle, USA. It’s a three-day event that features gaming and presentations by some of the world’s biggest game developers. It’s not E3 but it is kinda like E3 in the sense that it’s for gamers and about video games. E3 caters more to the media than the public whereas PAX is open to anyone that gets in to register.
So we thought we’d take the best PAX 2009 had to offer and highlight some of those presentations here at Game Culture.
On with the show!
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Here’s a demo video clip for Star Wars: The Old Republic as featured at PAX 2009, courtesy of GameSpot.
Twisted Pixel’s Comic Jumper
I hadn’t heard of this game before looking at the content from PAX this year. Here’s the video clip of gameplay taken from JoyStiq’s coverage of PAX 2009. Captain Smiley is the hero of this game along with his side-kick named Star who is stuck to the captain’s chest! Sounds rad? Check it out:
The Secret World from the makers of Age of Conan
I played Age of Conan and whilst I didn’t play it for long, it was still alot of fun. Here’s the latest and greatest title from the developers of AoC called ‘The Secret World’. The Illuminati class looks insane!
Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time
Ratchet and Clank fans will be happy to see images of the latest instalment coming our way entitled Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time:
Highlights of PAX – Part 2 follows tomorrow!
I wouldn’t call myself a hardcore Halo fan but this live action trailer for Bungie’s Halo ODST has to be seen to be believed! I liked it so much, I had to watch it on the Sony Bravia – it’s that good. If this was a real teaser trailer for an actual movie (rather than a game), ask yourself one question: would you go? The answer – HELL yes! So, why not make the movie already…
Until someone (who doesn’t even have to be famous) makes the movie that accompanies this trailer… here it is for you to drool over, courtesy of IGN.
A very hot topic for gamers on Twitter is the new company simply named ‘OnLive’ which is a service that offers streaming video games access much like Movies on Demand (similar to our service via Sky Network Television).
Currently, this service is only available in the US but it does raise a series of questions regarding how this new ’streaming’ video game access will impact the video game console business, if at all.
You can connect via your PC or Mac computer with a browser plugin provided by OnLive or you can connect via your TV with the use of an ‘OnLive Micro Console’. Wow.
It will be very interesting to see how this method of video game access will affect the market for both the distributors, developers and gamers.
The official OnLive website is here.
Are you a gamer? Are you at the top of your game? Then ‘The Tester’ could be your call to fame. Think ‘Big Brother’ but for Sony PS3 gamers – well, probably minus all the nudity (we hope) and sex (ahem).
The official website has a ‘Casting Call’ form to fill out for any ‘would-be’ Sony gamers who think they’ve got what it takes to be a game tester. As well as this, you’ll get more than a few cameras shoved in your face and probably a few free games along the way, too. Sounds pretty mint, huh?
Of course, this offer isn’t going out to kiwi’s or aussies for that matter unless you’re legally allowed to work in the USA. Bummer, I know but hey, look on the bright side… uh, OK, there really isn’t a bright side. Nevermind, we’ve got Armageddon coming up, that might… help.
Anyway if you’re interested, check out the official website here.
Whilst I consider myself a ‘hardcore’ gamer as far as putting in the hours goes, I don’t think I’d be quite ‘hardcore’ enough to go out and buy gaming lingerie. That said, it seems the Target stores in the US of A are taking it to the hardcore gaming public big time with their range of ‘Gamer Underwear’.
As it turns out though, gamers of the female persuasion are going to have to wait on that lingerie. According to the article over at JoyStiq, the only available underwear for sale were for men…
According to a recent study published in BMC Research Notes, brain function can actually become more efficient after playing Tetris.
Remember that wonderful game Tetris? It was originally designed by Russian programmer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984 and since then, there have been many variations of the game released. If I had known then that Tetris can actually make brain function more efficient, I would have played a whole lot more!
The research notes suggest:
The study is the first to assess both brain structure and efficiency using two types of brain imaging before and after practicing a cognitive task.
The study compared adolescent girls who practiced Tetris over a three-month period and those who did not. According to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the practice group increased thickness of the cortex in certain areas. Their brains also appeared to function more efficiently in some areas, meaning they used less brainpower to complete the same tasks.
I remember when people used to say that “gaming rots the brain”. Now they’re saying that video games actually help your brain to become more efficient! My how times have changed…
Source: TechReview
The ESA is the Entertainment Software Association. It’s a US based company that is “exclusively dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies that publish computer and video games for video game consoles, personal computers, and the Internet.”
So, they’re pretty important as far as video games are concerned in any country. If you’re a gamer and you’ve never heard of them, you should really check out this video clip. You’ll be surprised to find that some of the facts about our beloved gaming industry aren’t what you’d expect at all.
The International Entertainment Association of Australia has decided on a name change. According to an interview by GameSpot Australia, the reason for the name change is to “meet game industry trends”.
Well, we’re all about gaming trends here so we’re interested to see exactly what trends the IEAA are anticipating.
Ron Curry the CEO of the IEAA indicated that video games are fast becoming a popular form of entertainment for Australians, and that’s one of the main reasons behind the shift in name for the organisation.
You can read the full interview here.
Source: GameSpot Au
Gamer is a movie about a futuristic world where MMORPGs become reality. The synopsis for Gamer as described by IMDb:
“GAMER is a high-concept action thriller set in a near future when gaming and entertainment have evolved into a terrifying new hybrid. Humans control other humans in mass-scale, multi-player online games: people play people…for keeps. Mind-control technology is widespread, and at the heart of the controversial games is its creator, reclusive billionaire Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall). His latest brainchild, the first-person shooter game “Slayers,” allows millions to act out their most savage fantasies online in front of a global audience, using real prisoners as avatars with whom they fight to the death.”
Gerard Butler plays the main protagonist (as he does in the game ‘Slayers’ in the movie) but I’m not entirely sold on this movie being anything spectacular. It debuts in the US in a few days so here’s hoping it comes to our shores… but in the meantime, check out the game you can really come to life in here as part of the promotion for the movie. Who’s playing who? Hmm, the mind boggles…
