Jon Gracey's

Archive for the ‘PSN’ Category

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Games That Rocked…Jonny Garrett’s World – #44: The Secret Of Monkey Island

In Amiga, iOS, Mac, PC, PSN, Xbox 360 on July 19, 2013 at 10:36 am

Today’s post is by Jonny Garrett…

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Title: The Secret Of Monkey Island

Format: Amiga, Mac, Mega CD, iOS, PC, PSN, Xbox 360

Released: October, 1900

Monkey Island Box Art

A great man once said “Always be yourself. Unless you can be a pirate. Then always be a pirate.” I don’t remember who said that, but they are wise and, presumably, a pirate.

Sadly, when I first heard that saying I couldn’t be a pirate. I was 7 and lived in Oxford, a city so far from the sea we thought punts were an efficient way to navigate water. My ambitions were landlocked and somehow scuppered at the same time.

Then everything changed. My dad brought home a copy of The Secret of Monkey Island, installed on about 12 floppy discs and with a glossy stapled manual. From over my elder brother’s shoulder I watched Guybrush Threepwood shuffle onto my screen, dressed like a Jane Austen character pixelated out to protect his identity. Read the rest of this entry »

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Games That Rocked…Matthew Highton’s World – #41: Resident Evil

In DS, PC, PlayStation, PSN, Saturn on June 28, 2013 at 2:47 pm

Today’s post is by Matthew Highton.

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Title: Resident Evil

Format: PlayStation, PC, Saturn, DS, PSN

Released: 22nd March, 1996

Resi Box Art

In 1997 I go to a small shop at the back of Oldham town centre and purchase a second hand copy of a game I’ve heard so much about: Resident Evil. I take it to my friend’s house and five minutes later I’m killed by a dog. The game resets and I ask: how the hell do you save on this thing?

From the moment the PlayStation fires up I already know this is everything I’ve ever wanted in a game. I don’t even know the term survival horror yet, all I know is that it appeals to everything I have ever loved: horror films and computer games. Read the rest of this entry »

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Games That Rocked…Bex Lindsay’s World – #40: Peggle

In DS, iOS, Mac, PC, PS3, PSN, Xbox 360 on June 21, 2013 at 11:26 am

Today’s post is by Bex Lindsay.

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Title: Peggle

Format: PC, Mac, iOS, DS, Xbox 360, PS3, PSN

Released: Feb 27th, 2007

Peggle Logo

Let me tell you a love story.

A few years ago, I met a boy. He was handsome, clever, funny…and I was totally smitten. By a stroke of good luck we ended up living together, and I was convinced this was my chance to get to know him better.

I only had one rival for his affections – his absolute fascination with computer games. I tried hard but I just couldn’t distract him from whatever bright and shiny game he was playing, no matter how much my conversation sparkled. Eventually I decided to see what all the fuss was about, and asked to try it out for myself. Immediately, and much to The Boy’s chagrin, I was both hooked and better at it than he was. When he was out I’d open his laptop and not only play the game but also beat his high-scores, then put it back and leave him baffled as to why his settings had changed. It was the ultimate clandestine affair. Read the rest of this entry »

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Games That Rocked My World – #30: Hotline Miami

In Mac, PC, PS Vita, PS3, PSN on April 6, 2013 at 5:00 pm

Written by me. Shit yeah.

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Title: Hotline Miami

Format: PC, Mac, PS3, PSN, PS Vita

Released: 23rd October, 2012

Hotline_miami_poster

Do you like McDonald’s? I do. I bloody love McDonald’s. It’s a massive, cheap, sugar-drenched guilty pleasure that goes down real easy, induces a massive high, and leaves you feeling empty and disgusted with yourself afterwards.

Hotline Miami is gaming McDonald’s. Gaming McDonald’s that explodes into your face and overloads your senses in a smearing blaze of hot-pink neon and 80s synth. Its retro pixelart and filthy techno soundtrack grab you by the genitalia of your choice and refuse to let go until you’ve smashed through its 2-3 hour runtime in a kinetic, dopamine-fuelled sugar-rush. And the guilt? It makes you feel like a dirty great serial killer. Read the rest of this entry »

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Games That Rocked…Guy Kelly’s World – #23: Okami

In PS2, PS3, PSN, Wii on January 28, 2013 at 8:00 pm

Today’s article by Guy Kelly:

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Title: Okami

Format: PS2, PS3, PSN, Wii

Released: 9th February, 2007

Box_art

I should have written this ages ago.

Not in the sense that I burn to share this with the world. I don’t wake up sweating in the middle of the night, purple-faced and unable to breathe, one thought racing through my mind like a hamster in a tornado: I must write about this game.

No. While I love video games dearly – I can chart the formative points in my life by the games I was playing at the time¹ rather than, you know, real world achievements – I have to draw the line somewhere.

Nor am I suggesting that I should have wrestled control of this blog from Jon long ago. I barely have the commitment to wash myself every morning, never mind pooping out reflective nuggets of thematic introspection on anything approaching a regular basis. Read the rest of this entry »