Phil Villarreal
Microsoft Wants to ‘Further Monetize’ You Like an Animal
Microsoft may not be content with selling us $200-plus consoles, $60 games, $50 controllers and $60-a-year Xbox Live subscriptions. Not to mention subjecting gamers to an endless parade of Xbox 360 ads onscreen. If some bragging from an employee's online resume is to be believed, the company has got some plans to milk even more money out of gamers.
Your Sad, Neglected Vita Has Something to Look Forward to in June
A couple months ago, the PlayStation Vita came into our lives and got us happy in the pants. Since then, Sony has treated us like those girls in college we promised to call, but never did.
Is Apple Developing Its Own Game TV And Game Console?
Apple is a jealous and vengeful god. Not simply content with owning your life with the iPhone, iMac and iPad, it's aiming to wrestle the Xbox controller out of your hands and punch your PS3 in the balls.
Naturally, ‘Halo 4′ Casts Conan O’Brien as a Character
Yesterday we told you that 'Halo 4' would be kicking down your door Nov. 6, and now we're telling you that it's bringing some friends along -- late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien and ever-present sidekick Andy Richter. The pairing of pasty, non-threatening comedians and a hardcore, distant future-set fragfest doesn't quite calculate, but whatever.
‘Super Mario 4′ And ‘Pikmin 3′ For The Wii U Will Debut At E3
Turns out that not-so-bold prediction we made yesterday that the 'Super Mario Bros. 4' would be headed to Nintendo's new Wii U console worked out better than that bet we had on Syracuse to win the NCAA tournament. Mario mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that Nintendo would bring a new Wii U Mario game to June's E3 expo in Los Angeles...
‘WWE WrestleFest’ Mobile Game Review
Before that pushy World Wildlife Fund got all cranky and lawyered the WWF initials away from pro wrestling, we dug the quarter-chomping arcade game 'WWF WrestleFest.' If the 'Street Fighter II' cabinet was occupied, 'WrestleFest' was our go-to-game.
Hear That Sound? It Could Be the ‘Call of Duty’ Bubble Popping
Ever since 'Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare' mortar-blasted its way onto shelves in 2007, the franchise has been the unchallenged top gun in the shooter wars.
‘Pizza vs. Skeletons’ Mobile Game Review
We've sweated out many a sleepless night wondering whatever we would do if skeletal armies assaulted us. The answer, it turns out, was always in our freezers. As 'Pizza vs. Skeletons' attests, pizzas are far more than the world's perfect food. They're also bouncing discs of undead destruction.
EA Does Trolls a Solid, Lets Them Play Their Own Games Again
In a bungled effort to keep its online play clean, videogame publishing giant Electronic Arts has wielded an iron fist when it came to dealing with trolls.
To Let ‘Sleeping Dogs’ Lie Would Be A True Crime
Fans of Activision's 'True Crime' series have had to wait longer for satisfaction than Tim Tebow (because he's a self-professed virgin and is saving himself for mar... aw, forget it). But now the series, which was shelved by its original publisher, is back under a different name, with new gaming Goliath Square Enix at its back...
Method Man & Creed Bratton Add Tang To ‘World Gone Sour’
Advergames are usually like the old guy at the concert who thinks he fits right in, oblivious to the fact that everyone is cracking jokes at his expense both behind his back and to his face. Give 'World Gone Sour' -- a downloadable game based on Sour Patch Kids candy -- credit for at least being aware of how ridiculous its concept is...
Nintendo Is Working On Super Mario 4
There's this obscure character known as "Mario" who has starred in a few Japanese games. It's not like nearly all of them have been international bestsellers or anything, nor that "Mario" has pretty much been the face of gaming for the past quarter century...
‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’ Players Receive Free Month
Last week, 'Star Wars: The Old Republic' developer BioWare revealed that it would be showering loyal players with a plethora of goodies, including a free month of play for its most dedicated devotees. The developer drew the line between the worthy Jedi masters and unworthy Padawan Learners at level 50...
Warning: PlayStation Network Is Going Down Today
The PlayStation Network goes down more often than an Arizona State sorority girl, but sometimes -- like today -- it's because Sony plans it that way. Starting at 9 a.m. EST this morning, Sony's giving a break to the hamsters that keep the PlayStation 3 servers chugging along...
‘Star Wars’ For Kinect Game Review
We're not sure whether the developers of 'Kinect Star Wars' actively hate George Lucas's brainchild and sought to mock it mercilessly, or just don't understand the appeal of lightsabers and Jedi knights and just threw something together in a crude attempt at sympathizing with the franchise's fanatics. Whatever the case, 'Kinect Star Wars' is the most laughable addition to the family since the 1
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 Game Review
If you're going to re-release what, at its core, is basically the same game every year and expect fans to keep forking over their $60 again and again, you'd better add something worthwhile.
‘Xenoblade Chronicles’ Game Review
Released nearly two years ago in Japan and last year in Europe, you'd expect Xenoblade Chronicles to look at least somewhat dated.
‘Kid Icarus: Uprising’ Game Review
Word has it that Nintendo only went with Kid Icarus: Uprising as the subtitle for its new Kid Icarus 3DS game only after 'Wristbreaker,' 'Carpal Tunnel Provider' and 'What the Eff is Up With These Controls?' options didn't test well in focus groups.
Learn to Count Cards at Blackjack — Last Man Standing
Last Man Standing are articles intended to help the average guy prepare for some of life’s oddest events. It’s just advice. It’s better than being clueless.
Ever see that movie '21'? It starred Kevin Spacey as an MIT professor who masterminded a card-counting scheme that allowed he and his students to scam Vegas casinos out of tons of money...
‘MLB 12: The Show’ Game Review
Like a grizzled veteran who rocks a shelf full of MVP trophies and is unthreatened by any up-and-comers on the farm system, 'MLB 12: The Show' no longer has the eye of the tiger. Instead, it just coasts, does the awesome things you expect it to do and calls it a day.