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BioWare: Japanese RPGs don't get American audiences

In recent years, the U.S. role-playing game landscape has become decidedly dominated by Western-based games, like Mass Effect 2 and the recently released Dragon Age: Origins. But according to Greg Zeschuk, co-founder of role-playing game company BioWare, Japanese developers might have only themselves to blame.

Speaking in an interview with Destructoid, Zeschuk said "the fall of the Japanese RPG (JRPG) in large part is due to a lack of evolution, a lack of progression." Zeschuk added that developers "kept delivering the same thing over and over. They make the dressing better, they look prettier, but it'… Read more

Best downloadable games of 2009: A year without boxes

In many ways, 2009 seems to be the year download-only games hit their stride. Between the iPhone and iPod Touch dominating the portable market with the ever-growing App Store; the release of the completely disc-free PSP Go; and the Nintendo DSi--which also can download games from an online store--portable gaming has started to move beyond the cartridge and disc. Even in home consoles, there's been a continuing focus on lower-cost downloadable games and DLC sold on Sony's PSN, Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade, and the Nintendo Wii's WiiWare as alternatives to pricier disc-based titles.

While download-only … Read more

Get 'Mass Effect' (PC) for $4.95

Sigh. Sellout blues today, people. But I'd like to see a digital download sell out!

As part of a Cyber Monday promo, Direct2Drive is offering the award-winning, uber-popular PC game Mass Effect for just $4.95.

How award-winning? How uber-popular? Check out GameSpot's review of Mass Effect, which awards it the rarely achieved score of 9.0. Average user score? About the same: 8.9.

In fact, the PC version of the Xbox 360 classic offers "streamlined combat and numerous minor improvements." (Sounds good to me: I prefer to game on my PC anyway.)

The game … Read more

Nintendo DSiWare's little pets: Electroplankton

The Nintendo DSi's downloadable game store has been, for the most part, a landscape of lesser games and strange add-ons, devoid of some of the more memorable Nintendo franchises and virtual console-style re-releases some might be looking for.

We were excited that Electroplankton, one of the more obscure yet cult-popular titles on the DS, has seen a re-release on the DSi in America. Designed by artist Toshio Iwai, Electroplankton are best described as musical pets, each one a unique musical toy with different controls.

The original cartridge featured 10 Electroplankton, each with unique quirks to explore. We own a … Read more

Dragon Age: Origins released, RPG fans rejoice

As what one might call mainstream consumers of interactive entertainment, we're quick to snicker at anything too concerned with elves and dragons, or any kind of stat-juggling role-playing game. That said, we've always had a soft spot for epic, story-driven games such as Oblivion and Fallout 3, which use the trapping of the RPG format to build a fully realized virtual world.

This year's entry in the epic RPG/adventure game category is Dragon Age: Origins, released Tuesday. After getting an early preview during this year's Game Developer's Conference, we were surprisingly hooked and eager … Read more

Protection with a catch

One of the first applications built to find and remove malware and spyware, Ad-Aware's reputation is well-justified. The latest version continues the publisher's tradition of adroitly addressing user concerns, but isn't yet perfect.

Building on the improvements made in version 8, former Ad-Aware users should be glad to hear that the program installs faster than it used to. Without a doubt, though, this version of Ad-Aware improves greatly on what has come before. It loads faster during your boot cycle, and scans are faster. Empirical tests noted that while the Quick Scan finished in less than 10 … Read more

The DSi needs a Virtual Console: Here are the games we want to see released

When the Nintendo DSi was first announced, flaunting, among other things, an ability to download games directly from Nintendo to system memory or an SD card, our minds leaped to visions of a portable Virtual Console on the Nintendo handheld.

It would be a museum of Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, to be chosen from the hundreds of thousands of titles dating back to 1989. Much like the Wii's Virtual Console, it would be a mix of greatest hits and the obscure. Best of all, it could be affordable.

Unfortunately and quizzically, Nintendo still hasn't launched … Read more

Nintendo DSiWare gives us what we want
(in Japan): Electroplankton, Game and Watch

Nintendo's DSiWare service, like its WiiWare platform, are temptations and teases for the lovers of the independent and obscure. Because no boxes or cartridges/discs need be sold, the ability for much-loved indie titles to be finally unleashed or re-released seems to be too good to be true.

Making good on part of that promise, Nintendo has had a busy week announcing both downloadable versions of their retro Game & Watch series, as well as their cult-classic music/art title, Electroplankton.

For the uninitiated, Game & Watch was Nintendo's first electronic gaming platform, dating to the very early … Read more

Nintendo debuts new DS and DSi Shop titles at E3 press conference

On display at the Nintendo E3 2009 press conference was a handful of yet-to-be announced portable gaming titles for the DS and DSi Shop.

A new Kingdom Hearts portable game was announced, the first DS version of the Square Enix and Disney collaboration franchise. RPG fans have even more reasons to be excited as Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and Golden Sun DS were also announced. Expect Bowser's Inside Story this fall, while Golden Sun DS should arrive in 2010.

Nintendo showcased a desire to appeal to fans of James Patterson novels as Women's Murder Club: … Read more