- Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi (PC) - Kittie's got claws. The Kilrathi destroy the TCS Tiger's Claw (the carrier from the first game) and after much backstory it's time to come back and euthanize some evil space cats. A big story and solid gameplay make it sad to see what has happened to the franchise in the last ten years. This is real Wing Commander.
- Typing of the Dead (PC) - Demons. Zombies. Creatures. Typing. It's all in there and it works really well. Now we just need that sequel.
- F-22 Lightening 3 (PC) - A flight simulator where you pilot an F-22. But why would you do that when you've got space cats and a galaxy to save in Wing Commander?
Gametap Thursday: Evil kitties in space and an undead typing tutor
Continue reading Gametap Thursday: Evil kitties in space and an undead typing tutor
Today's resold meme video: WoW Toyota commercial
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071011170830im_/http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/10/truckasaurus_simpsons225.jpg)
Toyota may be a follower to showing how it can save the World ... of Warcraft, but this spot hits several in-jokes in a short amount of time. See the ad after the break.
[Thanks, Mal F4cti0n and raffleski]
Continue reading Today's resold meme video: WoW Toyota commercial
Half-Life 2 on the Mac? Give Valve one million dollars!
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071011170830im_/http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/10/valve-one-million-dollars.jpg)
In a recent Kikizo interview, Valve's Gabe Newell plants the blame for the absence of a Mac release of Half-Life 2 – and, indeed, most games – squarely on Apple's shoulders. On the other hand, Inside Mac Games' Tuncer wants you to know that it's never that simple; he explains that while it's true Apple met with Newell and nothing ever came it, it isn't because Apple couldn't stay focused (although we don't doubt that for a minute) but rather because of "Valve's insistence that anyone who wanted to port Half-Life 2 to the Mac had to advance $1 million to Valve." In the scrappy world of Mac OS X porting, a meeeeelyun bucks is understandably hard to come by ... up front.
That said, Apple's lack of focus on gaming remains a fundamental weak spot in their consumer strategy (let's not even talk Apple gaming consoles), but we're hopeful that as companies continue to adopt new technologies like Cider, Mac users will at least be able to enjoy smash hits like Half-Life 2 (if nothing else). Ah well, thank Freeman for Boot Camp.
Read – One Million Reasons Why Half-Life 2 Isn't on the Mac (IMG)
Read – Gabe Newell on the Mac platform and Apple (Kikizo)
Today's shredingest video: Guitar Hero III victor
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071011170830im_/http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/10/guitar_hero_3_225.jpg)
Yes, weeks before you adoring, fake guitar fans get a chance to play, the hardest song has been bested by a player on his fourth attempt. The video of the event is mediocre, and the moment of triumph is anticlimactic. ("Go balloons, go balloons, we need more balloons. ...") But we were still floored watching this face-melting song --and player -- in action.
Be amazed by the clip after the break.
Continue reading Today's shredingest video: Guitar Hero III victor
GameTap Thursday: Agent 47 causes an Emergency
- Clockwork Knight (Saturn) - A side-scrolling platformer about a toy solider saving a clockwork fairy princess. If you didn't have a Sega Saturn -- and really not too many people did -- it might be worth checking out this quirky little-known title from when side-scrollers were en vogue.
- Emergency 3 (PC) - If you can get past the interface and some irritating AI, there's actually an interesting game here. A variety of scenarios and real-world aspect make it different than the RTS' we're used to.
- Penumbra Overture: Episode One (PC) - It's supposed to be a three episode game, but we're not holding our breath. Definitely check this one out, maybe if enough people play it GameTap will fund the other two episodes.
Continue reading GameTap Thursday: Agent 47 causes an Emergency
Brewfest celebrated in World of Warcraft
You can check out WoW Insider for suggestions on how to get the most out of your Brewfest holiday. The general information is that the event runs from Oct. 2-16. There will be complimentary mugs to get your avatar nice and sloshed, then you can purchase "Eyesight Enhancing Romance Goggles" to find the perfect mate at the festival. There will also be ram racing, mystery hunts and you can even be hired to advertise the event in major cities. All of the events will net you tickets that you can trade in for the fabulous prizes above. Happy Brewfest to those in Azeroth!
[Via WoW Insider]
GameTap Thursday: Touching the line of copyright infringement
- IGI 2: Covert Strike (PC) - One man versus many Chinese terrorists. A stealth FPS that requires you to keep only the items you need to survive. It's like Splinter Cell, but first-person and no Micheal Ironside.
- The Cameron Files: Pharaoh's Curse (PC) - A modern adventure game set in Egypt during the WWII. Solve puzzles while pointing and clicking your way to adventure. Just don't call him Indiana.
- Strategic Command 2: Blitzkrieg (PC) - A WWII strategy game that's kind of like Advanced Wars, but oh so much more complicated.
- Combat Mission 2: Barbarossa to Berlin (PC) - Another turn-based WWII game. The sequel to last week's edition Beyond Overlord.
Continue reading GameTap Thursday: Touching the line of copyright infringement
Adorable Master Chief mimobot USB flash drives
The Halo mimobots don't come empty, they'll contain Halo-related content like wallpapers, screensavers, soundBytes, unpublished pages of the upcoming Marvel Halo comic, sections of the Halo 3 strategy guide, excerpts from the upcoming Halo novel and an exclusive episode of This Spartan Life. The USB 2.0 drives are PC, Mac (Xbox 360, PS3) compatible and come in three different capacities: 1GB ($50), 2GB ($70) and 4GB ($110). Mimoco also has a Star Wars and Happy Tree Friends series too. Definitely a nice alternative to boring flash drives, and if you really want one it's probably not a good idea to wait until Oct. 18. Wonder if there'll be Brute and Arbiter versions next?
GameTap Thursday: Picking up some of Scrapland
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071011170830im_/http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/09/scrapland.jpg)
- Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord (PC) - Yes, it absolutely would have been better if it was Beyond Thunderdome ... but it's not. This WWII RTS with turn-based elements is actually the gem of this week's new offerings.
- Project Eden (PC) - A squad in the future uncovers one of those major conspiracies just littering the place. This game never really got traction, but there are some nice mechanics like being able to change squad members at will. Something we hope Jericho really perfects when it comes to GameTap at release in a couple months.
- Aces over Europe (PC) - A very old flight-sim from way back in '94. As you can probably guess, it's all about flying a plane in the WWII.
- Gods: Lands of Infinity (PC) - There is absolutely nothing in this fantasy RPG game that you haven't seen better someplace else. GameTap probably got this game for a pack of smokes and a roll of toilet paper.
Continue reading GameTap Thursday: Picking up some of Scrapland
World of Warcraft erotic guild disbanded
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071011170830im_/http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/09/internetisforporn.jpg)
The issue gets murky in terms of public perception because of some comments made by the guild leader which became public. The guild leader allegedly said, "I want to defend us, but I also want to defend the pedosexual community." The key point here is that the guild leader is talking about pedophiles who don't actually molest children -- the thought isn't illegal, the real-life action is. So are people who engage in that fantasy while roleplaying in WoW (while in private chat with a consenting individual) doing something wrong? Of course, this is an extreme example.
There are also issues about age verification for the erotic guild. Many general-purpose guilds have age guidelines set up for the comfort of their members. It's also easy to argue parents should be doing their jobs and monitoring their child's online activity and who they associate with. This whole issue is full of deep social and sexual questions, but in the end it is Blizzard's game. We're not expecting the World of Warcraft sexual revolution anytime soon.
And because we couldn't resist, (it's an oldie but a goodie as) WoW meets porn and Broadway after the break.
WoW character sells for nearly $10,000
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071011170830im_/http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/09/scrooge-mc-duck-swimming.jpg)
The original owner, Zeuzo from clan Method on Sylvanas server, has been sighted building up a new Rogue. When asked what one could do with $9,700, the Joystiq staffer offered these suggestions:
- "Save it toward a house ... or Jet Ski!"
- "Buy as many WoW account as I could, build that many new computers and multibox it!"
- "A pool of pennies so that you can swim around in like Scrooge McDuck."
- "Cybernetic Mongoose"
- "I hear Russian mail-order brides are increasingly more reasonable ..."
Tom Morello to appear as Guitar Hero III boss
While Morello's busy rocking your face off, you'll be able to play Rage classic "Bulls On Parade." You'll be able to recognize it in family-friendly GH III from its frequent sections of lyrical silence. Rather than expose you to profanity, we've posted a video here of Morello's folksy alter-ego The Nightwatchman. Enjoy.
[Thanks JL & Matthew]
Guitar Hero III coming to Mac and PC this fall
GameDaily spoke with Aspyr's Jay Gordon about the port, and got some burning questions answered: the game will ship simultaneously with its console counterparts; the guitar will be a USB model of the Gibson (sorry 486 gamers); and no word on how downloadable songs will be distributed but they'll share soon. And with this, the PSP remains alone, the only major gaming platform without Guitar Hero.
Joystiq interviews Metanet's Mare Sheppard and Raigan Burns
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071011170830im_/http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/09/nlogo090807.jpg)
Metanet's N+ booth, hidden behind Atari's in the corner of the exhibition hall, was as indie as the game, featuring a custom-built 360 display unit
Continue reading Joystiq interviews Metanet's Mare Sheppard and Raigan Burns
Morhaime talks change at Blizzard following WoW
He says the early months of WoW they couldn't have been prepared for. They set Warcraft III as their sales expectation ceiling on WoW and prepared for that -- it sounded reasonable at the time. Of course WoW ended up being almost too popular and the game was close to unplayable half the time in its first six months. Morhaime says that's when they had to shift everything. He goes on to say that Blizzard's name standing for quality has helped them out immensely and he stressed for developers to always finish their games before release. The money a company makes in the short term won't fix a poisoned name in the long run.