PSP

The Holy Grail of JRPGs Finally Comes to America

HIGH The game's story and characters are engaging and sure to hold players' interest.

LOW Battles can be very slow.

WTF How did they ever get away with calling the villain Joker? I guess no one told DC Comics...

Fable III isn't exactly challenging, as far as game play, story, or game design go.  And yet, it has challenged me in a most unexpected way.  I knew, offhandedly, before I started playing that this was considered a "mature RPG."  And yet I was surprised (pleasantly so, but still taken aback for a moment) to find that among the character attributes for nearly every adult NPC in the game, there is a sexual preference qualifier.

Microsoft should be pleased with moving another 308,000 Xbox 360 units, especially during a pretty dry month for new game releases. As I mention in the analysis piece, Microsoft will likely interpret this as a signal that a price drop isn't needed for at least the rest of 2011. That doesn't mean that the company won't be offering some interesting deals.

Writer Jeffrey Matulef joins us as we reminisce about our time at PAX Prime 2011. Not only did we get our hands on Lollipop Chainsaw, Aliens: Infestation, the PS Vita, and (of course) Borderlands 2, but you'll find out what happened when Brad let Richard interact with his son. No children were harmed in the production of this podcast. As far as we know. Featuring Brad Gallaway, Mike Bracken, Richard Naik, and Tim "Two Balls" Spaeth.

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Links:

• Brad's PAX Prime 2011 Report: Day One
• Brad's PAX Prime 2011 Report: Day Two
• Brad's PAX Prime 2011 Report: Day Three--PS Vita, Capcom
• Richard's PAX Prime 2011 Report: Day One
• Richard's PAX Prime 2011 Report: Day Two
• Richard's PAX Prime 2011 Report: Day Three
• PAX Prime 2011: Prototype 2 Preview

Please send feedback and mailbag questions to podcast (at) gamecritics (dot) com.

There have been a lot of advancements and positives for console gaming over the course of this console generation. Many games sport high-definition graphics and top-notch sound. Online play gives players the option to be social with friends all over the globe, if they so choose. The rapid rise of social media has put the industry and its fans closer together than ever before. Gradually, though, this generation's negatives and general anti-consumer trends have wiped out a lot of of those positives for me.

Sensationalist headlines could have casual observers running for hills when it comes to how this year's sales numbers compare with last year. Don't fall for this. Let's keep in mind that the newer Xbox 360 models—the Xbox 360 Slim—really flew off of store shelves last July. We're now a year removed from that and now YOY numbers will bump into that success.

So, it's no secret that I am a big fan of Monster Hunter. Although the series does have issues (being inscrutable to newcomers or running the best version on the missing-a-second-analog-nub-and-no-true-online PSP to name just two) I am a true believer in the franchise and I think it has much to offer. Sadly, it's only been able to carve out a very small niche for itself here in the United States, but there's now an opportunity—maybe—to help change that.

This footage is courtesy of Angel James de Ocampo, cosplay cinematographer and conventioneer and was filmed at Japan Expo 2011 in Paris, France. Nice camera work. The biggest achievement has to be making people dressed as video game characters and walking around with plastic or paper weapons look cool while doing so. Well, maybe they can work on their fighting choreography though.

The good people over at Mommy's Best Games have sent me an alpha copy of the upcoming Serious Sam Double D and I've played through the first world. Despite being at a very early stage of development, the game is coming together very nicely.

I implore you to reconsider your decision to initiate a widespread "PSN Pass" program this fall that would employ single-use licenses tied to a game's multiplayer component. Not only would such a program unnecessarily impede the resale options your customers currently enjoy with regard to successful titles like Uncharted 2, MAG, and Killzone 3; it would likely result in the exact opposite of your intent.