This week, we look ahead to the rest of the games that are coming out in 2011.  What’s got us stoked?  What’s got us annoyed?  What’s got us sitting on the fence?

First though, Jonathan talks about his “Week of More”: more L.A. Noire (it’s good), more Final Fantasy 6 (it’s good), more iOS card games in the form of Ascension (it’s good).

Alex talks about how he got Dawn of War 2: Retribution off of Steam for cheap, but it’s just not pushing his buttons.  Also not pushing his buttons, Crysis 2, which Sam disagrees with.

Sam’s completed Crysis 2 and is giving it heavy-duty praise.  Also completed, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but the praise is lacking.

The games we cover in our topic, in no particular order:

• Catherine
• Battlefield 3
• Modern Warfare 3
• Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
• Forza 4
• Saint’s Row: The Third
• Batman: Arkham City
• Skyrim
• El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
• Lord of the Rings: War in the North
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution
• Uncharted 3
• The Darkness 2
• Need for Speed: The Run
• Dead Island
• RAGE
• Body Count
• Game of Thrones: Genesis
• Call of Juarez: The Cartel
• Gears of War 3
• Driver: San Francisco
• Cursed Crusade
• Age of Empires Online
• Ghost Recon: Future Soldier

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This week, we try to cover a topic, and fail.  We have some good conversations about games, though.

First off, Alex and Jonathan talk about the wildly different whether in their wildly different states.

Alex discusses Shadows of the Damned, a grindhouse-type game with an angry Mexican and a lot of penis jokes.  Despite Jonathan’s reservations, Alex also has nothing but good things to say about Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon.  We’re also looking to start up a regular, monthly AssBrodeo.  Check the forums for more info.

Jonathan pimps the Steam Summer Sale, which has ended already, and reminds everyone just how much fun Team Fortress 2 is.  He also talks about HOARD, a game about dragons, and Terraria, a game with Minecraft‘s addictiveness AND a purpose.  Bonus!

Sam wishes F.E.A.R. 3 was scarier, wishes Far Cry 2 was less realistic, and wishes Crysis 2 was eligible for marriage.  Jonathan and Alex are suitably disturbed.

Alex brings a themed version of Name That Game! to bear this week: Lousy Games!  He scraped the bottom of Metacritic’s barrel, and brought a number of truly terrible games to the table.

Next week, we really do get to our topic.  See you then!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download