Podcast 03

We have a special guest on today's show, ScrewAttack.com's own Brian Baker. He will be here to guide us through a number of games, like Red Dead Redemption, FFXIII, 3D Dot Game Heroes, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and Backbreaker?! Also, our topic this week is the issue of Save systems in modern gaming, and whether or not it is acceptable that some save systems can still ruin games.

Download it here.

or listen below.

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Personal Gaming Metrics

Being a recent MBA graduate and working in corporate America, statistics are what I do. Most employers like meaurable objectives, customers love them. It is our ability to display progress that can mean the life or death of a project. With this in mind, I was always curious what trends exist in my gaming habits and whether or not it was something I could "easily" measure.

As luck would have it, there's an app for that, if you have an iPhone. Developed by Hooked in Motion, titled "My Games", the app helps you categorize your video game collection. You can input all the information in manually, or you can use the camera and scan the barcode (much easier). Sure some data still needs to be filled in manually, but it is an easy way collect all that data. Afterwhich you can back up the data to a text file, import it into Excel, text to columns, and wa la! Columns and columns of data regarding my gaming collection habits. For more information about the app, go here. For more information about my addiction to games, hit the jump!

Is it sad that I only have beaten half of the 102 games in my collection? >_<

Blog Report

Went on a video game bender since the girlfriend was out of town this weekend. Played for about 36 hours and put a major dent in FF13. Also hit up Red Dead for some good times online, but the world didn't stop for my gaming addiction, so here is the news!

Mass Effect: The Movie Is Really Happening [Hollywood]
Here's Your Special Launch-Day Halo: Reach Hat [Microsoft]
First Killzone 3 Screens, Official Details [Playstation 3]
Little Girls Writes A Letter To Nintendo, Gets A Free DS? [Ds]
Ubisoft Ruins Prince Of Persia Box Art [Ubisoft]
Maybe The Greatest Baseball Pitch You'll See Today [Japan]
Dead Skate: Code Unlocks Isaac and Board [Unlockable]
I'm your huckleberry
The Sony Situation: SCEA's Rob Dyer Speaks
Blur Punches Mario Kart In The Balls [Clips]
Watch the Dallas Cowboys football stadium implode - from inside [Explosions]
From The Wayback Machine
Walmart Unveils Shiny New Online Gamecenter [Retail]
No More Heroes 2 Inspires The First Video Game Lingerie Collection [No More Clothing]
World Of Warcraft Remote Auction House Is Free To Browse, Pay To Bid [Blizzard]
Code Required for UFC Undisputed Online Play [Dlc]
Unlockable Celebs Will Return to NBA Jam [Wii]
Exclusive Showdown Reveals...Pointlessness Of Exclusives [Xbox 360]
Beware This Ruinous Prince of Persia Glitch [Spoilers] [Glitches]
PixelJunk Shooter 2 in Full Production!

Play it NOW! - Super Street Fighter IV

Street Fighter IV was the fighting game for a new generation. Not only has it fleshed out the idea of what a 2.5D fighter can be, but it has sparked a revival of the genre. It is only suitable that Capcom, the father of 2D fighters, be the one to lead such an ambitious journey. Much like their previous installments, SSFIV is an expansion on the foundations laid in Street Fighter 4. Some gamers may be taken aback by the idea that they have to procure another disc. Let me assure you: this is a new game.

First and foremost, the character selection screen is initially completely unlocked, and a few new characters are available. Some are from the original Super (Dee Jay & T-Hawk), others from the Alpha series (Guy, Cody, Adon), and still others from Third Strike (Dudley, Ibuki, Makoto). Rounding out the 10 are some new faces with Hakan and Juri. This article will focus on the new characters, since the existing are similar to their predecessors.

Juri - Is primarily an offensively oriented character, with few defensive moves. Most of her attacks are kicks and her fireball technique can be charged. If you choose to charge, she does a high kick first and can unleash her fireball at any time after that by releasing the button. She has a counter move in which she taunts her enemy into hitting her. If she is hit; she can move backwards, jump into the air, or appear behind her opponent. Combined with her aerial dive kick, this counter is especially painful for her opponents. Her super unleashes a flurry of fireballs and juggles the opponent, ending with a fireball that hits the opponent as they are falling. The first Ultra is the Feng Shui Engine, which is a timing move that allows her to do combos at ease. The second Ultra is the Kaisen Dankairaku, a devastating attack in which she kicks her opponent up, then down where the opponent lands on her foot. She taunts them before slamming them into the ground.

Hakan – An oil wrestler whose technique revolves around the application of oil to his body. The primary move is called the Oil Shower, but the overall move set remains the same regardless of the presence of oil. The difference made by applying oil shows in the strength and agility of the character. Moves like the slide attack, will reach further with oil applied. Since he is more of a grappler, his throws are also more powerful with oil. Applying the oil also makes him "glow" for a short amount of time, acting as a timer of sorts for his current oiling. His super involves grabbing his opponent, sliding back and forth across the floor of the stage. The first Ultra is the Oil Coaster, which is like a more powerful version of his Oil Rocket move. He grabs, then pops the opponent up into the air, and slides them into a wall. The second Ultra is the Oil Combination, where Hakan lays down on the floor and waits for his opponent to fall into him. Once an opponent does, calamity ensues and they will wish they had not executed that last jump.

Additionally, all characters have been given a second Ultra. You choose which Ultra to use before the round begins, much like Third Strike. The game also features a few additional online modes: Team Battle (up to 8 players), and Endless Battle (winner plays against a rotating group of up to 8 players).

Another great feature is the Replay Channel, which allows players to save and view replays from around the world. It provides users some excellent footage, despite the lack of any character specific filters, which would help in finding a match up you may be struggling with. Fans of the series will notice the return of the car and barrels bonus stages. I found these to be fun bits of nostalgia to remind people of Capcom’s roots. Rival battles are still prominent from the previous game, which feature a unique dialogue sequence whenever a certain pair of characters face-off against each other.

A downloadable Tournament Mode is scheduled to be released on June 25, 2010. This will allow people to create their own tournaments, with victory belts. This will be cool if only for bragging rights and Capcom has mentioned sanctioning a few tournaments of their own DLC is limited to a number of costume packs for the various characters. These are not essential, but certainly add some variety to the already numerous costumes and color combinations. The game itself is at a price point of $40. If you don’t already own a fighting game, it makes Super Street Fighter 4 essential for any console owner.

*note: all pictures are coutesy of a Google Image search

Podcast 02

Another Podcast is complete, and this one is on a new mixer. Tim, Steve and I discuss things like Bioshock 2, Red Dead Redemption, Japanese perversion and E3 dreams. Oh and this one is a little more explicit than the previous one....

You can download Episode 2 here or listen below.

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Video Recommendations are live!

Video has come to Two.Can Play thanks to YouTube and you should be able to start watching some of it now.

Sure it isn't production quality, but hey with the budget of about the cost of a Subway sandwich and my trusty Flip cam, it is as good as it can be for now. As for my "on camera" demeanor, it will improve with practice.

The YouTube username is TwoCanPlayBlog, but you can also go to the video page on http://www.twocanplayblog.com/ to find all the videos currently uploaded.

And since you are already here, click the jump for my VR of Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Blog Report

Red Dead Redemption night. ALL NIGHT! But you can take a break for some news, right?

Bionic Commando, Dark Void Last Straws For Capcom [Capcom]
Rumor: 'Premium' Version Of PlayStation Network Unveiled At E3 [PS3]
PlayCast Announces HD Upgrade To Cloud Gaming Service
Too Big and Too Hard [Republished]
A Look Inside The Arcade Scene Of Kuwait [The World]
Privates, The First Twin Stick Shooter Set In A Vagina [Xbox 360]
Brink: No Girls Allowed [Republished]
First Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Details Slip From The Shadows [Ubisoft]
GameStop Employee Loses His Job Over Rape Game? [Update] [Sex And Violence]
The World United As I Played Mass Effect 2 [Photos]
EA's Fight Against Used Game Sales Passes To Tiger Woods [EA Sports]
BlazBlue, The Art Exhibition [Art]
Pokemon World Championships Coming To A Metropolis Near You [Pokemon]
LittleBigPlanet 2 for PS3 Officially Announced for Winter 2010!
America, You Spend A LOT Of Money On Video Games [Research]
Marvel vs Capcom 3: Four New Challengers Enter [Capcom]
Kotaku 'Shop Contest: Merit Badge Edition Winners [Photoshop]
Why APB Uses Your Phone's Pricing Plan Instead of World of Warcraft's [PC]
Final Fantasy IX Coming Soon To North American PSN [Playstation Network]

Red Dead Redemption Posse

Some of you guys might be picking up a copy of Red Dead Redemption today and are interested in joining a posse. Well you might be in luck, as this ol’ four-flusher is looking for recruits. There is a problem though, we don’t have a name.

Boy, we’re gonna need a name, because if any yellow livered blowhard doesn’t pay through the nose when the come across us vandals, they at least better spread the word. So quit beatin’ the devil around a stump and help decide already, by posting in the comments. Then you can worry about putting on your best bib and tucker, before we set out to lay claim to our corner of the Wild West.

You can find examples of registered posses in the wiki below. Oh, and PS3 only for this posse.

http://reddead.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Posses

New Domain Names

For everyone out there who has had trouble with the Blogger web address, there is good news.

We here at Two.Can Play have bought up a few domain names to make it easier to find us.

Next time you get online to head to Two.Can Play, try typing: http://www.twocanplayblog.com/ or http://www.twocanplayblog.info/. Then, Bam! You will be redirected right here to the homepage.

These domains were registered through http://www.godaddy.com/ and if you listen to the Cheap Ass Gamer's Cagcast, you can get some discounts for your next web domain through Go Daddy. Just like me.

*note: all images courtesy of Google image search

Bitmob: Guides

Guides, walkthroughs, and FAQs are all tools which have helped gamers across generations of consoles overcome obstacles in their gaming experience. These can be applied to almost any type of game for any purpose, but their intent is to provide the reader complete transparency into a games’ world. Normally, I will try to avoid the use of these tools, because in some ways, I feel it can ruin my experience. For every rule there is an exception; however, and Bethesda Games Studios (makers of the Elder Scrolls series and Fallout 3) have become that exception.

Podcast is Live!

Thats right. We have a Podcast! Join myself, Steve Borga, and Tim Hinz for a riveting discussion of video games. You can download it here. Or you can just listen right here in your browser. Show notes after the jump. Enjoy!

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Bitmob: Gamer Tourism

When people reference Texas’ video game industry, Austin is typically touted as the ‘toast of the town’. Rarely do you hear publishers touting the importance of Dallas, or hear them refer to it as being a “Mecca” for gaming culture. They might be right when you compare it to LA or the Bay Area, but I feel Dallas is becoming more “gamer friendly” everyday. Below is a list of why Dallas is great for people who love to design games and those who love to play them.

New E-mail for the Site

Two.Can Play has a new e-mail address, so please send all your requests to twocanplay.blogspot@gmail.com.

Thanks!

Halo Reach Beta Stats after Week 1

Week one of the Halo Reach Beta has ended and here are my stats so far. Expect to get some impressions on the overall experience from me, after the Beta has closed. Stats after the jump!

Blog Report

I am doing my best to keep my head low and work on this final paper. Then Bungie had to go a release the Halo Reach Beta... Anyway, here is the news.

God of War: Ghost of Sparta Announced for PSP!
Spider-Man, Jedi Thwart Real-Life Comic Book Villain [Update] [Comics]
This Could Be The Best Street Fighter Film Ever Created [Movies]
Free Comics Eveywhere!
Well, No Wonder Game Crazy Went Out of Business [Screengrab]
Sony Registers 'Infamous2TheGame.com' Whatever Could That Mean? [Infamous 2 The Game Dot Com]
Real Life Modern Warfare: Soldiers vs Pirates, With Helmet Cameras [Clips]
Fallout: New Vegas Adds Hardcore Mode, Weapon Mods & More [Obsidian Entertainment]
Rumor: Castlevania HD Whips Up Six Player Vampire Slaying [Konami]
BlazBlue Gets Its Own Tournament Edition Joysticks [Accessorizing]
New Treyarch Developed Call of Duty Hits Nov. 9 With Likely Modern Setting [Call Of Duty: Black Ops]
We Have A Hostage Situation [Screengrab]
Video Games and the Philosophy of Art [Guest Editorial]
Halo Developer Joins Forces With Activision [Breaking]
Miyamoto On Wii Star Controller Prototype: "No one liked that one." [Wii]
The Perils Of Localisation [Screengrab]
The Cub Scouts Get Video Game Badges [Scouts]
Red Faction's Made For TV Movie May Spawn A Series [Syfy]
The Kuril Islands dispute
This Guy Is A Fighting Game Superstar [Super Street Fighter IV]
Kotaku Japan Confronted by Famitsu and Konami [Top]

AOM - May

David Stonecipher over at The Examiner has some pretty hilarious art. Basically he took classic game characters and provided them with some stylin' beards. You can find more here.