Comic-Con 09: Video Games reports

And here we go with the last of the Comic Con news highlights–at least until San Diego in July. (Month of my birthday, so if you want to get me a birthday present…this isn’t it. The SDCC is more interested in Hollywood than comics, or at least that’s the impression I get.) Tonight we get into the video game news that came out. While I call myself a gamer (and techincally I am, although some “hardcore” gamers don’t believe us “casual” gamers should do so–like I care what they think), I don’t have the time or money to play all these games. Now if someone wants to donate games, systems, and pay me to play them (although I suck), I can go along with that. I did, however, pick up a copy of Portal for $3 at one of the Circuit Citys (Cities?) that are closing. I hope that cake everyone talks about is chocolate. I love chocolate. But before I surrender the rest of my weekend to games and getting my IRS data together, let’s see what news I consider news.

Today I went not to the usual suspects, but G4TV.com, home of gaming and gaming news. And here’s what I came out with.

• In honor of their 25th Anniversary (and I realise I should have at least mentioned that in one of the other reports–now I hate myself), the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are getting a new fighting game, Smash Up. The design team behind fan favorite Super Smash Brothers are on board for this game. Between this and the fact that Tournament Fighters wasn’t that bad (depending on the version you played, but ignore Story Mode on the SNES..it’s not as fun), I suspect money will flow. Then again, Konami’s other recent Turtle games haven’t been so beloved. TNMT at least tried something new, but I have the PC version of the first Turtles game, and only Donatello fanboyness made it playable after a long time.
• Cryptic Studios are on their way to becoming the masters of the MMO multiverse. Star Trek Online will not only allow you to play an any current Star Trek race, but allow the more imaginative to create their own races. Now if I could design my own starship, that would be even cooler.
• Wildstorm will be releasing a comic based on the Prototype video game. A bit too violent for my tastes, and I was over the whole “anti-hero” thing when they were considered cool. I wouldn’t mind seeing the engine used on a game I would play, though.
• Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 will be based on the comic companies Civil War event. I have 15 different ways to respond to that, and all of them involve weeping in pain.
• The only thing I’m worse at that FPS (first person shooters) are racing games. How bad I am’s ranking as why I’m usually not a fan is up for debate. However, if I ever get my Wii (not too promising at this point), The Conduit looks to be one of the games on my list to get. (Like I’ll ever catch up.)
• If I had a Playstation 3, inFamous would be one of the games I would most like to get. (Not enough to justify the price.) From a storytelling perspective (which is the heart of this blog), video games can tell stories in ways other media formats I discuss can, because it makes you into a character. A game where your choices have a major impact on characters and events really interests me, but I haven’t been able to get and play those games. Mass Effect and at least the first Knights of the Old Republic also sound like interesting games.
• Spore is getting an expansion pack that will give you more to do in the space levels. Just because the game hasn’t been as celebrated as much as the Sims series doesn’t mean Will Wright can’t wallpaper his wall with praise letters about the games. It’s like saying chocolate is better than caramel, so who need caramel?
• Id is going back to the one they came to the dance with by making a new Wolfenstein game. Castle Wolfenstein was their first big game and paved the way for Doom to form the PFS game style. Besides, who doesn’t love shooting Nazis? (Other Nazis, I guess, who cares what they think–they’re evil and stuff.)
• There will be a video game based on the upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie. See my anti-hero comment above, and add Wolverine to the fires of Hades list.

• Oddly, nothing in the “New York Comic Con” tag at the Feed for the two MMOs set in comic book universes. DC Online and Cryptic’s other highly anticipated MMO, Champions Online, based on an offline role playing game, are already well known, but I would have thought there would have been something. Cryptic already has a super hero blockbuster in the form of the City of Heroes/Villains game. Frankly, if I had the time and money, I would probably spend some of both on Champions. It looks like a lot of fun. However, Second Life is free, and I haven’t been on Spring, when I was recovering from my hospital stay.

• The big news during the DC Online panel was the addition of Marv Wolfman to the writing staff, along with head writer Geoff Johns. Considering what’s become of the DCU, I no longer want to play in their world. It looks good visually, though.

And that’s the world of gaming at this year’s Comic Con, as well as the last report of a guy who hasn’t been there, but read the reports. I did want to include the latest Digital Comics news, but I’m planning a big post about digital comics in the future. DC discussed Zuda, and Marvel announced they were joining the “motion comics” bandwagon. So that’s all to tell. Tomorrow, back to business as usual.