Let me just get this out of the way. I hesitate to throw around terms like “the best soundtrack of 2010″ anymore because frankly, music is very subjective. I’m not trying to lay down “the facts” on which OST wins. Rather, my goal is to share with readers some of the soundtracks of 2010 that I personally enjoyed. If you’re favorite soundtrack isn’t discussed below, don’t take it personally.

With that said, I’d like to say a few words about my favorite soundtracks from last year. For your convenience, I’ve provided links on where you can purchase these soundtracks as well as a three minute “sampler” medley of each game, just to give you a taste of what to expect.

Let the music appreciation begin!

#10 Yakuza 3 (PS3) [Buy the OST]

Ever since I heard Hidenori Shoji’s work while playing F-Zero GX (my favorite racing game of all time), I’ve made a point to follow his releases. His hybrid of rock and electronica can be found in nearly everything he puts out and the soundtrack of Yakuza 3 is no exception. While a few songs feel a bit more repetitive than I care for, I can’t help but fall in love with his high energy sound.

#9 Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (Xbox 360, PS3) [Buy the LE w/ OST]

When it was confirmed that Oscar Araujo would take the position of Lords of Shadow composer instead of Michiru Yamane, many (including myself) cried out in disappointment. Afterall, Yamane’s music has been a staple of the modern entries in the series.

It’s definitely a very different approach than we’ve ever had in previous games, but being different doesn’t automatically make it bad. In fact, the soundtrack of Lords of Shadow is quite good. I’d still rather listen to more Yamane if given the choice, but it’s hard to argue since Araujo’s sweeping, movie-like score fits Lords of Shadow like a glove.

#8 Dark Void (Xbox 360, PS3, PC) [Buy the OST]

Ok. So MAYBE I am a little biased in this case since Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica, The Walking Dead) hand-picked a remix I made and wrote about it on his own blog. But the truth is, the Dark Void soundtrack really is great. In fact, it’s far better than the game itself, which unfortunately turned out to be this year’s biggest disappointment for me.

I am in love with the percussion and its heavy use of taiko drums. Really though, I love the instrumentation in its entirety. There’s such an interesting combination of sounds working together to make something really special. Dark Void teaches us the lesson that just because a game is bad doesn’t mean it can’t have an amazing soundtrack.

#7 Super Meat Boy (Xbox 360, PC) [Buy the OST]

Super Meat Boy, like the game itself, seems to take some retro inspiration in its soundtrack. No, composer Danny Baranowsky doesn’t restrict himself to 8-bit sounds. However, he does manages to capture a certain spirit in his composition reminiscent of a time when we didn’t have fancy sound packs and streamed audio to mask forgettable melodies.

Yes, the songs found in Super Meat Boy are highly distinguishable and, most importantly, stick with you. Of course, this is especially true as you listen to them on loop while you die 300 times in a row. It’s impressive in itself that in that context, I haven’t grown tired of them.

#6 Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (PSP) [Buy the OST]

I’ll admit it. Yoko Shimomura’s music is enough to make me swoon. She’s one of my favorite composers. The score to Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep has a lot of tracks that are simply beautiful. The emphasis on piano and strings Shimomura often utilizes is something that just really works for me. Regardless of how you feel about the series, it’s hard to argue against the quality of its music.

One of my favorite aspects of the Birth by Sleep soundtrack is how it often combines songs, such as well known character themes, in order to support the narrative. It’s fun picking apart which of the many Kingdom Hearts tunes are woven into individual Birth by Sleep tracks.

#5 Mega Man 10 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii) [Buy the OST]

It’s easy to write off Mega Man 10 as “just another Mega Man soundtrack.” But just because something is stylistically similar doesn’t mean it should be ignored, especially when it’s something that’s consistently excellent.

The composer list behind Mega Man 10 could easily be considered a sort of “super group.” Besides the Inti Creates sound team (who handled the Mega Man 9 score), the OST also features music by composers of every classic Mega Man game from Manami Matsumae (Mega Man, Mega Man 2) to Akari Kaida (Mega Man & Bass, Mega Man Battle Network). The result is a mix of different styles that work surprisingly well together.

#4 Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii) [Buy the OST]

Mario soundtracks have really evolved this generation. Super Mario Galaxy 2, like its predecessor, has quite a diverse array of styles. The big sound achieved by the performance of the aptly named “Mario Galaxy Orchestra” fits perfectly with the vastness of space found in the game’s setting.

Within the levels of Galaxy 2, you’ll hear music that’s as bouncy and delightful as you’d expect from classic Mario along with epic choir performances that would make the old ghost house and castle themes cower in fear. It feels modernized, but without abandoning its iconic roots. And, of course, it also pays respect to the past with a few updates on some classic tunes.

#3 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Xbox 360, PS3) [Buy the OST]

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game has a soundtrack that’s nostalgic on two levels. The obvious throwback comes in Anamanaguchi’s use of 8-bit sounds, which takes me back to the good ‘ol days of playing NES. But it’s also apparent from their style (and interviews) that one of their inspirations is Weezer, a band that I (like many people) listened to quite a bit in the mid 90′s.

This dual nostalgia trip is nothing short of intoxicating. Combine that with all the retro imagery of the game itself, and you’ll find yourself in an old school gamer’s paradise.

#2 Monster Hunter Tri (Wii) [Buy the OST]

There’s far more to my love of the Monster Hunter Tri soundtrack than the 170 hours I put into the game itself. It combines an orchestral sound as big as the monsters your fighting with a “world music” vibe that fits perfectly with the primitive hunter motif of the game.

Like Dark Void, there’s a lot to love in the percussion. But I also really appreciate the subtleties of the parts certain instruments play. One song features an electric guitar over the top of a very tribal sound, but it’s done so tastefully that you almost don’t even notice it’s there. It’s this blend of instrumentation that makes me want to listen to the OST on repeat even after I’ve heard it so many times while playing.

#1 Nier (Xbox 360, PS3) [Buy the OST]

I thought for sure that Monster Hunter Tri would be my favorite soundtrack of 2010. But when I listened to the soundtrack to Nier, I was floored. How could I have missed such a gem? That no longer matters now.

What matters is that the soundtrack to Nier is stunning. The vocal work of Emi Evans has an ethereal quality to it that instantly gripped me and didn’t let go. It’s soothing at times, haunting at others, and always beautiful. The game may not have done well with critics, but the soundtrack alone is enough to make me happy it was released.

——————————–

Did you discover something new while reading my ramblings? Did you want to share your own thoughts on a 2010 soundtrack? Please, let me know in the comments.

On a very special fifty-first episode of “Barrel Roll! A Video Game Podcast”, we are joined by Rebel FM podcaster extraordinaire, Tyler Barber.  He tells us all about his history as a gamer and how he got started podcasting about games.

In what we’ve been playing, there is discussion of Mass Effect 2, in which any spoilers are very carefully avoided. We also talk about the adorable indie game, Toki Tori, Wes’s completion of The Saboteur, the surprisingly good Tatsunoko VS Capcom (which has a disturbing lack of pizza related cats), the sadly disappointing Dark Void, and DS JRPG WTFBBQ Sands of Destruction. Wes also tells tales of more junk for the iPhone.

In our fake “Friday Old Games” segment, Jesse gives us the rundown on Dark Void Zero. Can it be that the tie-in game has once again out-classed the big budget counterpart?

All this and much more on Barrel Roll #51, “Dude, Where’s My Pizza Cats?”

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Outro Music – “Fortuna (Star Fox)” by The OneUps

Middle Song – “Touch and Go” by She

Rebel FM

Weekday Warrior (Half Life 2 adventure game mod)

Samurai Pizza Cats Art by lastscionz

I know what you’re thinking. “Where’s the Friday Old Games review for this week?” Well, gentle reader, I’ll tell you. In an attempt to promote the new jetpack-infused third-person-shooter, Dark Void, Capcom forged an imaginary story of an abandoned NES game named Dark Rift. The game has now been “revived” and released as Dark Void Zero. While it’s not really an “old game”, let’s just pretend the story is true.

Dark Void Zero, as the title suggests, takes place before its HD counterpart. You control Rusty, the first human born in “the void”. With the help and guidance of Nikola Tesla, you must find and destroy Portal X; the only stable portal leading the evil aliens known as “The Watchers” to Earth. The story is told in a combination of 8bit still frames before each level as well as occasional in-game dialogue boxes from Tesla.

The graphics and audio are all made to feel like an NES game and work quite well. The music especially is a high point. The songs take themes present in Dark Void and rearrange them into something that sounds like it came straight out of a Mega Man game.

"The limited pallets and low pixel count look very authentic."

While this 2D platformer only has three levels, each one is quite large and open. Rather than putting you at one end and telling you to get to the other, the levels generally spawn you somewhere in the middle and contain many paths. Certain paths will be blocked off by locked doors. You’ll need to search for keycards to progress to the next area.

One of the games most interesting features is the jetpack. You will not start with it, but can pick it up in certain areas. Once you have it, you will keep it unless you pass through a field that destroys it. There are quite a few areas where you must pass through such a field. This allows the game to force traditional platforming sections on you occasionally.

The jetpack can be used in two different ways. By holding down the jump button, you can rocket upward very fast. For a more controlled approach, you can put it into hover mode by double tapping the jump button. This will allow you to move in all directions with the d-pad or hover in place. Caution is key, though, as controlling in hover mode can be a bit floaty.

"Temporary powerups like shields help spice up the gameplay."

The game features a variety of weapons and powerups. You’ll start with a machine gun, but as you progress you will find slower, explosive weapons, a laser, and more (though you can only carry one at a time). One of these weapons actually doubles as a tool for destroying certain walls, granting you access to new areas. Some of these areas are mandatory while others are filled with items to increase your score. With the exception of some of the later weapons, I preferred the default machine gun for its range and rate of fire.

There are a few powerups you can get that will double your firing speed, spread your attacks in three directions, or surround you in a shield, but these are only temporary and will wear off with time. Each level also contains a number of optional items to collect to increase your score. The first level for example, has several journals scattered throughout it. But unlike Dark Void, Zero‘s journals can’t be read once obtained.

What I found most annoying about Dark Void Zero is that Rusty aims down while ducking. Because of this, you have to stand back up to fire horizontally. This results in some trickier dodging as you pop up in between enemy bullets to get a shot in. Perhaps I wouldn’t have minded this if other NES titles like Contra hadn’t already trained me otherwise.

"Collecting orbs and other optional items will improve your score."

Quite possibly the biggest disappointment though is that the boss at the end of each stage is the same save for an additional feature. You will fight a Dr. Wily-esque pod with a watcher inside. The whole battle will be played in hover mode as you avoid bullets and wait for it to reveal its weak point for you to shoot. The first time I fought it, I felt it was adequate, but by the second and third time it had become repetitive and I was sad to see the lost opportunity of having three unique bosses. There are slight differences between the encounters, but they are very negligible.

Overall, Dark Void Zero is an enjoyable nod to retro gaming and I feel like I got my five dollars worth. Any higher of a price-point would make it a tough recommendation. Thankfully, the three difficulty modes and high score list will give you a reason to play it more than once. It would have been nice to see a lengthier game, but what’s there is charming and fun.

"Click for Maximum Awesome"

On a very special fiftieth episode of “Barrel Roll! A Video Game Podcast”, we are joined by two amazing guests.

Returning for the second time is “Number One Super-Fan”, Russ Walsh, to tell us all about Cave Story, probably. We also have the first appearance of Adam “Heat Man” Anania from The Mega Man Network. He is here to tell us all about the site, CES, and Mega Man 10.

In our segment on the games we have been playing lately, we discuss The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces, Uncharted 2, Tekken 6, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Dark Void and more. We also talk a bunch about the news of the week, including the possibility of Capcom developed Tatsunoko games and rumors of the new Zelda possibly being a Majora’s Mask sequel.

So grab your party hat with a giant “50″ emblazoned in comic sans, light some candles so that you can immediately blow them out, and join us for our fiftieth episode fifthstravaganza!

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Outro Music – “Fortuna (Star Fox)” by The OneUps

The Mega Man Network

"You think I don't know Space Glasses when I see them?"

On a very special forty-fifth episode of “Barrel Roll! A Video Game Podcast”, the guys learn the hard way that even a man with space glasses can’t always trust his own space glasses to get him out of space glasses related troubles.

…or CAN he?

In “What We’ve Been Playin”, Jesse fills us in on The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks and the space glasses fueled shooter, The Conduit aka Space Glasses: The Prometheus Chronicles. Wes has been keeping busy with Trine as well as his new favorite iPhone game Chronicles of Inotia 2. As it turns out, Jonah loves some Rock Band: Unplugged a lot more than he expected to, and also started down the dark and snowy paths of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.

We have a “Let’s Play Together” in which Jesse and Jonah played co-op through the Halo 3: ODST campaign, and a “Friday Old Games Roundup” of Disney’s the Little Mermaid.

In the news, we are happy to announce Jesse’s recent winning of the Dark Void Remix contest, in which Bear McCreary chose his remix personally as the winner. Then we are immediately saddened when discussing Greenday: Rock Band.

All this and much more on the latest Barrel Roll Show!

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Show Notes:

Intro Music – Crystal Bearers Ramble (FF: CC: The Crystal Bearers)

Outro Music – “Fortuna (Star Fox)” by The OneUps

Dark Void Remix Contest Announcement

New Gums Day Fundraiser for Wesley Johnson

2010 is looking to be one of the most ridiculous years we’ve ever seen for game releases. The amount of promising titles coming out is nothing short of intimidating. It is entirely possible that you may drown in quality titles. But remain calm.

We here at WingDamage are here to throw you a life preserver of information. So grab a hold of our list of Xbox 360 releases below and you just might survive the first three months of 2010.

Mass Effect 2

“I have sold my soul to Bioware. I have ended conversations with REAL PEOPLE to get back to my digital friends in so many of Bioware’s wonderful RPG’s. I will buy Mass Effect 2 at midnight if I have to break into GamerTime and ring myself up. From what I got to play at PAX, ME2 features a completely overhauled combat system, better cover mechanics, a wider array of weapons, and even more dynamic conversations than the original. Come January 26th, I am fully prepared to hide away in my attic, away from all social interaction, to spend some time with my good friends that have been lovingly crafted by the good doctors at Bioware.” -Luke

Splinter Cell Conviction

“Splinter Cell Conviction is a complete reinvention of the stealthy franchise. Sam Fisher has been betrayed by his agency, Third Echelon, and it is up to the aging super-spy to once again save the world from a terrorist plot. No longer confined to the shadows, Mr. Fisher can dispatch enemies like never before using the intriguing new “Mark and Execute” system. You can now Mark an enemy with a simple bumper press and then, with the touch of a button, send them to oblivion. You can even Mark a string of enemies and Execute them in quick succession.” -Dave

Final Fantasy XIII

“Finally, the JRPG that’s been in development so long that it was originally going to be released in the previous console generation is coming out! Final Fantasy XIII has Square-Enix’s trademark over-the-top visual polish and features the next evolution in battle systems for the series. Explore a huge and exciting world in this new Sci-Fi/Fantasy epic.” -Jesse

Just Cause 2

“Just cause 2 is the perfect example of what more money and development time can really do for a game. Just Cause had some great ideas, but was bogged down by a lot of little issues that kept it from achieving triple-A status. Just Cause 2 looks a lot more polished than the first game, adding a cover system and expanding on the vehicle stunts and grappling hook mechanic. Any game that lets me tether people to stuff and then blow that stuff up is pretty good in my book.” -Luke

Dark Void

“Though third person shooters with cover systems are becoming more common, how many of them let you fly? And how many of them have “VERTICAL cover systems”? Exactly. Capcom’s Dark Void spices up the genre with a jetpack. You’ll be able to shoot yourself through the air like a gun-toting rocket or hover down toward unsuspecting enemies as you listen to the epic, symphonic score of Battlestar Galactica composer, Bear McCreary. Playing the demo at PAX has made me a believer. Check out our impressions.“ -Jesse

Super Street Fighter IV

“The follow up to 2009′s fantastic re-launch of one of my all-time favorite franchises. Super Street Fighter IV has more characters, more modes, better balance and all the characters unlocked right from the get go. Better yet, it will release at a reduced price. Naysayers be damned, this promises to bring the franchise to a whole new level of 2D fighting perfection.” -Jonah

Army of Two: 40th Day

“Hanging out and killing fools with your Bro-ham can make for some of the best times in co-op gaming. The first Army of Two, while not perfect, featured some of the best cooperative gameplay of this generation. This sequel looks to expand and refine the original with all new moves, such as mock surrender or co-op sniping. If pretending to surrender to someone so that my buddy can shoot them in the head is wrong, then I don’t want to be right.” -Dave

Battlefield Bad Company 2

“I had a chance to play the multiplayer portion of Battlefield Bad Company 2 at Pax 2009, and I was pleasantly surprised. The Frostbite engine has received some significant upgrades since Battlefield: Bad Company. From what I played, the level of destruction rivaled Red Faction: Guerrilla. Within 5 minutes the giant warehouse my team was defending was reduced to a smoldering crater. Tanks crashed through walls, rockets from helicopters blasted through cover, and artillery shells and RPGs’ rained hell from the sky. We may have lost the match, but I was sold on the game.” -Luke

Lost Planet 2

“It’s time again to visit E.D.N. III, but this time you are not alone! You and up to three friends can band together in a squad to take down gigantic akrids in Lost Planet 2. Ten years after the original, the snow of the planet has been melting, revealing new types of environments for you to explore. Pilot the mechanized armor known as Vital Suits to increase your firepower. Customize your characters appearance and weapon set to increase your squad’s versatility. Built on the new MT-Framework 2.0, Lost Planet 2 promises to be bigger and better than its predecessor in every way.” -Jesse

Bioshock 2

“Those that have entered the strange world of Rapture in the original Bioshock have been wondering where the series could possibly go from there. As you can imagine, the sequel goes back to the underwater city of Rapture, but this time a brand new crazy person is running things. You take on the roll of the original Big Daddy, who has free will and crazy ADAM based powers. They have also added a multiplayer mode which is a prequel to the original game. Here you take on the roll of a citizen of Rapture fighting in their civil war. Looks like Bioshock 2 will expand the fiction of this fascinating universe on multiple fronts.” -Jonah

Bayonetta

“Let’s go down the list: the main character is a really hot witch, her clothing is actually her hair which she also uses to performs magical attacks, and she has guns in her shoes. So this game looks to be absolutely insane. Featuring what looks like some of the best and most stylish action this side of Dante and Kratos. Bayonetta comes from the acclaimed creator of Devil May Cry and Viewtiful Joe Hideki Kamiya, and he considers Bayonetta to be an evolution of the combat in Devil May Cry. Expect over the top to be just the beginning.” -Dave

2010 is looking to be one of the most ridiculous years we’ve ever seen for game releases. The amount of promising titles coming out is nothing short of intimidating. It is entirely possible that you may drown in quality titles. But remain calm.

We here at WingDamage are here to throw you a life preserver of information. So grab a hold of our list of PS3 releases below and you just might survive the first three months of 2010.

Final Fantasy XIII

“Finally, the JRPG that’s been in development so long that it was originally going to be released in the previous console generation is coming out! Final Fantasy XIII has Square-Enix’s trademark over-the-top visual polish and features the next evolution in battle systems for the series. Explore a huge and exciting world in this new Sci-Fi/Fantasy epic.” -Jesse

Heavy Rain

“Quantic Dream’s follow up to 2005′s Fahrenheit looks to be more of a piece of interactive fiction than your standard action/adventure game. You take control of four different characters, each on a search to find the mysterious “Origami Killer”. Each decision you make will progress the story, not always in the way you expected. Even if one of the main characters dies, the story keeps going with those that remain. According to the director, David Cage, “the real message [of the game] is about how far you’re willing to go to save someone you love.” I can’t wait to see how the story changes from multiple play-throughs.” -Jonah

God of War III

“The answer to the question ‘who would win in a fight?’ is always Kratos. If you don’t buy his game he will rip you in half. Seriously. Fer realz. Kratos spends his days killing gods. Playing his game is like stepping into the sandals of the most badass dude in history. This game looks to push the already unbelievably epic gameplay even further. If you own a PS3 and you are a fan of action games you need this game.” -Dave

Just Cause 2

“Just cause 2 is the perfect example of what more money and development time can really do for a game. Just Cause had some great ideas, but was bogged down by a lot of little issues that kept it from achieving triple-A status. Just Cause 2 looks a lot more polished than the first game, adding a cover system and expanding on the vehicle stunts and grappling hook mechanic. Any game that lets me tether people to stuff and then blow that stuff up is pretty good in my book.” -Luke

Dark Void

“Though third person shooters with cover systems are becoming more common, how many of them let you fly? And how many of them have “VERTICAL cover systems”? Exactly. Capcom’s Dark Void spices up the genre with a jetpack. You’ll be able to shoot yourself through the air like a gun-toting rocket or hover down toward unsuspecting enemies as you listen to the epic, symphonic score of Battlestar Galactica composer, Bear McCreary. Playing the demo at PAX has made me a believer. Check out our impressions.“ -Jesse

Super Street Fighter IV

“The follow up to 2009′s fantastic re-launch of one of my all-time favorite franchises. Super Street Fighter IV has more characters, more modes, better balance and all the characters unlocked right from the get go. Better yet, it will release at a reduced price. Naysayers be damned, this promises to bring the franchise to a whole new level of 2D fighting perfection.” -Jonah

Army of Two: 40th Day

“Hanging out and killing fools with your Bro-ham can make for some of the best times in co-op gaming. The first Army of Two, while not perfect, featured some of the best cooperative gameplay of this generation. This sequel looks to expand and refine the original with all new moves, such as mock surrender or co-op sniping. If pretending to surrender to someone so that my buddy can shoot them in the head is wrong, then I don’t want to be right.” -Dave

Battlefield Bad Company 2

“I had a chance to play the multiplayer portion of Battlefield Bad Company 2 at Pax 2009, and I was pleasantly surprised. The Frostbite engine has received some significant upgrades since Battlefield: Bad Company. From what I played, the level of destruction rivaled Red Faction: Guerrilla. Within 5 minutes the giant warehouse my team was defending was reduced to a smoldering crater. Tanks crashed through walls, rockets from helicopters blasted through cover, and artillery shells and RPGs’ rained hell from the sky. We may have lost the match, but I was sold on the game.” -Luke

Lost Planet 2

“It’s time again to visit E.D.N. III, but this time you are not alone! You and up to three friends can band together in a squad to take down gigantic akrids in Lost Planet 2. Ten years after the original, the snow of the planet has been melting, revealing new types of environments for you to explore. Pilot the mechanized armor known as Vital Suits to increase your firepower. Customize your characters appearance and weapon set to increase your squad’s versatility. Built on the new MT-Framework 2.0, Lost Planet 2 promises to be bigger and better than its predecessor in every way.” -Jesse

Bioshock 2

“Those that have entered the strange world of Rapture in the original Bioshock have been wondering where the series could possibly go from there. As you can imagine, the sequel goes back to the underwater city of Rapture, but this time a brand new crazy person is running things. You take on the roll of the original Big Daddy, who has free will and crazy ADAM based powers. They have also added a multiplayer mode which is a prequel to the original game. Here you take on the roll of a citizen of Rapture fighting in their civil war. Looks like Bioshock 2 will expand the fiction of this fascinating universe on multiple fronts.” -Jonah

Bayonetta

“Let’s go down the list: the main character is a really hot witch, her clothing is actually her hair which she also uses to performs magical attacks, and she has guns in her shoes. So this game looks to be absolutely insane. Featuring what looks like some of the best and most stylish action this side of Dante and Kratos. Bayonetta comes from the acclaimed creator of Devil May Cry and Viewtiful Joe Hideki Kamiya, and he considers Bayonetta to be an evolution of the combat in Devil May Cry. Expect over the top to be just the beginning.” -Dave

White Knight Chronicles

“From Level-5, a company whose works include Dark Cloud, Dragon Quest VIII, Rogue Galaxy, and Jeanne d’Arc, comes another high profile JRPG boasting 100 hours of gameplay. White Knight Chronicles features a real-time combat system that allows you to chain attacks and abilities together to create your own combos. Take control of a party of characters or buddy up with a friend in co-op as you take on gigantic monsters in this PS3 exclusive journey.” -Jesse

Gran Turismo 5

“It has been a long time in the making, but the true fifth installment of the Gran Turismo series is finally coming. Gran Turismo 5 crams as many different modes and features into the game as possible, including a selection of around 1,000 cars and 70 tracks based on 20 different locations. It’s going to be one big racer.” -Jesse

"PAX.... In SPACE!"

On a very special episode thirty of “Barrel Roll! A Video Game Podcast” we have Wes, Jesse, and Jonah all in the same room for only the second time. This episode is extra long and full of our hands-on impressions of all the games we played, video demonstrations we saw, and panels we attended at the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, WA.

The jet packy goodness of “Dark Void“, smashing turtle bros. in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up”, goblinin’ it up with “Wold of Warcraft: Cataclysm”, and much, much more. So much stuff, I don’t even remember what all we covered as I type out this description.

When we come back from the break, we give away a beta key for League of Legends. Listen to the episode, get the code and redeem it on their main site. We are also giving away a copy of KOTOR on Steam via our Twitter account.

Don’t forget the panels. “Making a Scene With Monkey Island”, managing communities, the GFW Radio (Brodeo) Reunion show and a ton more are all discussed.

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Outro Music – “Fortuna (Star Fox)” by The OneUps
League of Legends
KOTOR on Steam
That key for KOTOR
PAX Picks on Flickr
Wes’s PAX Vids on Youtube

"Gears of War + Jetpacks + Awesome = Dark Void"

Truth be told, “Dark Void” is a game that I was not following very closely. At a distant glance, it looked to be yet another third person shooter in a crowded market of first and third person shooters. To my surprise, Dark Void ended up being one of the funnest demoes I played at this year’s PAX.

The demo started off by teaching me how to use the game’s most notable feature: the jetpack. Double tapping the “Y” button put me in a full-on flight mode. Using the jetpack in this mode was quite similar to controlling a plane. You can use the analogue sticks to steer around and rotate yourself. There’s also air brakes and a boost bar that allows you to go extra fast by holding a button down.

In addition to the actions mentioned above, there are also special maneuvers that can be performed. The most notable of these was a quick turn that allowed you to pull a very fast 180.There doesn’t seem to be any limit on how long you can fly and even the boost bar recharges itself when not in use. This gave me a great feeling of unreserved freedom.

While flying, you use guns attached to your jetpack rather than standard guns. The weapon I had in the demo was a simple machine gun with infinite ammo that never paused to reload. Later in the game, you will be able to upgrade your jetpack in various ways, but this was not shown in the demo.

Another function of the jetpack is hover mode. While hovering, you use the guns held in your hands rather than the jetpack’s weapons. My favorite thing to do in the demo was to fly at boosting speeds down toward a platform with enemies, switch to hover mode a bit before hitting the ground, and start shooting all the enemies below me as I floated to the ground. It gave off a fantastic sense of momentum that made me feel like an action hero.

While on the ground, the game starts feeling very similar to Gears of War. There is an almost identical cover system, though thankfully taking cover and running are mapped to different buttons. You can aim from cover, shoot blindly, or lob grenades. You can also acquire the weapons of your defeated enemies.

In spite of its competence, the ground combat didn’t really seem like anything new. The jetpack, on the other hand, made this game what it is. The ability to fly around really set this apart from the other shooters I’ve played. The Dark Void demo has transformed the game into a highly anticipated title for me and I look forward to getting my hands on the full version early next year.