All posts by Becki

Popping the Question, Gaming-Style

Will You Marry Me?

It’s Valentine’s Day, and amid the flowers, teddy bears, and chocolates, perhaps you’ve started to think about taking the next big step in your relationship, if you are in one (and we don’t mean switching from Russell Stover to Godiva. A side note: Russell Stover is the carnation of chocolates. Its tagline should be “When you care just enough to spend a fiver!”).

We are, of course, talking about marriage proposals. If you’re at the point where you are thinking of popping the question, consider a couple of things. (1) You and your fiancée are going to be retelling the story to everybody quite a lot over the years, so make it a good story. (2) Propose to her in a way that reflects your relationship, to make it really special. If you’re both avid mountain climbers, propose on top of a mountain after a hike together. If you’re both into cooking, prepare a extra-special dinner and present the ring for “dessert.” And if you’re both gamers…well, get some inspiration from the following awesomely geeky marriage proposals.

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Double Fine To Create New Adventure Game

timshafer

Tim Schafer and his game development studio, Double Fine Productions, want to make a brand-new point-and-click adventure game, and they want your help.

Let’s back up for a second. You might not recognize Schafer’s name, but I’m sure you’ll recognize his games: Grim Fandango, Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle… Back in 2000, Schafer founded Double Fine, which went on to create such iconic titles as Psychonauts, Stacking, Iron Brigade, and more.

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What Silent Hill: Downpour, Dexter, and Korn Have in Common

Silent Hill

I have a confession to make: I’m secretly obsessed with the Silent Hill franchise. I have several of the games; I own a Pyramid Head t-shirt; I even bought the movie. (Shut up, it’s actually good.) What’s weird is that I’m really a wuss when it comes to anything scary. I don’t like horror movies, for the most part. The first time I ever played Silent Hill, my friend made me play it in the dark, and I shut it off after five minutes, before I ever ran into an enemy.

My roommate and I tried playing Silent Hill 2 together a few years ago. This largely consisted of her doing all the work, and me huddling in the fetal position on the couch, loudly singing Tom Jones songs. (I don’t get it, either.)

I recently beat Read more…

Gourmet Gaming: Play With Your Food!

Peanut cheese bars from EarthBound. (c) Daniella Zelli

Perhaps combining two of the best things ever, Daniella Zelli recreates food from video games. If you’ve ever wondered what peanut cheese bars from EarthBound taste like (they are delicious; “It’s the most incredibly crunchy, gooey, chocolatey, salty and creamy combination”) or the mossy log from Costume Quest (like a “chocolatey cloud”), look no further than gourmetgaming.co.uk. Zelli’s site is updated every Wednesday with a tasty new video-game-inspired concoction, complete with recipe and comparison photo.

The idea for the site began last year, when Zelli invited a group of friends over to play Read more…

Happy 15th Birthday, Final Fantasy VII!

Final_Fantasy_VII_Box_Art

If Final Fantasy VII was a human being, it would be getting its learner’s permit soon. Does that make you feel old? Because it makes me feel ancient.

Happy birthday, Final Fantasy VII! On January 31, 1997, this influential title was released in Japan. It was the first game in the Final Fantasy series to be released on the PlayStation, and was later credited as the game that sold the console. Everybody has played it. Even people who “don’t play RPGs.”

So to commemorate this milestone, here are some of the best–and worst–FF7 cosplay pics we could find.

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Angry Birds Take Flight: Video Games Meet Real Life

Angry Birds

Who can explain the world’s fascination with Angry Birds? Those adorable little avians are inescapable. They’re on our iPhones and iPads; they’re on our Android smartphones; they’re on our PCs and Macs; they’re on Chrome and the Nook Color, among other platforms. There’s even an Angry Birds store in Helsinki, Finland. And now those perpetually pissed-off critters have shown up in the real world, thanks to some crafty individuals. Here are a just a few examples of real life and video games colliding in the form of red birds and green piggies.

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THQ releases Genkibowl VII, hypes cocktail

Saints Row 3way

The first DLC available for Saints Row: The Third, Genkibowl VII, is here! And to celebrate, publisher THQ has teamed up with Loading, a gaming bar (yes, such a thing actually exists now) to create a Saints-inspired alcoholic beverage, the Saints Row 3way. We know Johnny Gat isn’t fond of “ass-tasting energy drinks,” but we think he’d find the Saints Row 3way to be an acceptable alternative.

If you can’t make it to Loading in the UK, never fear, for you can create your own tasty concoction by following this simple recipe: Read more…