Welcome to the Next Level, a.k.a. The Video Game Thread Options

[Jimmay]

Any version of Micro Machines is good but the one you're thinking of was definitely the best. Micro Machines Turbo Tournament '96 is the one you're thinking of I believe, it had a track editor too. Spent many hours building tracks full of nasty hidden short cuts to irritate my brothers with.

It's a bit of an obscure question but does anyone else remember Violet Berlin, co-host of Bad Influence on ITV with Andy Crane, being put in the game? I can remember being strangely impressed when I finally got to play it and she was actually a playable character.

And I would totally give you a run for your money, the recent practice had buoyed my confidence on that classic. No helicopters though, those levels were a bit bad.

It was back in her bleach blonde spikey hair days and of course I remember it. That show was great, especially the completely shit "infoburst" at the end of each episode where you had to tape it and then freeze each scene by pausing the video.

Micro Machines Military is the greatest Mega Drive game ever made. More specifically the track "Speed Special" which was just an oval shape. We still have regular get togethers where we sit down and play nothing but that map over and over again and have done for about ten years since free periods in Sixth Form. We came up with our own slang to describe certain tricks and quirks of the game and everyone had their own named character that they always played as. After a few hours someone would put another map on, it would be shit, and we'd go back to "Speed Special" again. In fact, the game is just known as Speed Special.

[Llama]

How? Beeb wouldn't let them have iPlayer as Live Gold was a paid for subscription.

Don't ask me, I'm just a girl.

[Sir_Robin_the_br...]

It does seem to be happening.

I guess they must have come to some kind of arrangement with the BBC?

[zeden]

Behold the face of Micro Berlin!

There's an interesting interview with her that I pulled that from here that covers a little of the behind the scenes situation when it came to tv and shows about gaming.

It was back in her bleach blonde spikey hair days and of course I remember it. That show was great, especially the completely shit "infoburst" at the end of each episode where you had to tape it and then freeze each scene by pausing the video.

I'm not alone!
Did you ever try to record one of those info burst things? I've got a vague recollection of being met with a mass of garbled images when I did.

On a side note - Violet Berlin. I totally would, especially looking like she did in that pic from the Bravo show. Or this one -

Feel free to insert a joke about playing with joysticks and tracking balls here. Or alternatively roll your eyes at the notion, whatever works best.

[monkeyman]

She looks like a lesbian there.
I remember seeing her in game and being a bit confused by it. I also remember my dad always playing as "Spider". Man. They should do a new game in really nice cartoon graphics, no shitty 3D or weapons; just fun. Oh and more tracks set in real places (like the one in the kitchen, or on the toilet lid......)

[Jimmay]

She looks like a lesbian there.
I remember seeing her in game and being a bit confused by it. I also remember my dad always playing as "Spider". Man. They should do a new game in really nice cartoon graphics, no shitty 3D or weapons; just fun. Oh and more tracks set in real places (like the one in the kitchen, or on the toilet lid......)

The closest recent game that came close was Mashed on the Xbox. Its the only original xbox game that I've still kept hold of and has some amazing levels that was the "Speed Special" of my Uni days. Well worth checking out if you can get a copy.

[Hobbes]

I had and loved that game, and years later I watched Mallrats, and there was Brodie, playing the game I loved. I think this game may well have contributed to my man crush on RetroLee™.

The other great use of it in a movie is in one of my favourite films of all time, Swingers

I think I have a new favourite advert.
Bravo Sony.

That is quite brilliant.

[Silky]

The other great use of it in a movie is in one of my favourite films of all time, Swingers



That is quite brilliant.

As is that scene in swingers. Would you believe that I've never seen that film?

[Hobbes]

I would believe it, but I wouldn't like it. Sensational movie, and the film I've recommended to everyone I've ever known who's been dumped. A feel-gooder.

[monkeyman]

Joe did you see this yet? Fall of Cybertron announced
Follow up to War for Cybertron which I really enjoyed. If they can iron out some of the issues it'll be great

[zeden]

She looks like a lesbian there.

I would totally Chasing Amy that then.
Because that works right, lesbian turning and all that?


I finished off the last of the New Vegas dlc, Honest Hearts and The Lonesome Road.
Honest Hearts fills in a few gaps in the plot lines alluded to by the Caesar's Legion side of things but never really feels like it ramps up to any satisfying conclusion, the few choices you're given never feel like they have too much of an impact and the moral aspects of them aren't very interesting.
The location is interesting in that it's a lot more vertical, cliff faces and peaks are meant to be climbed this time around, but the weak enemy variety and lack of set pieces do little to make use of that design choice.

The Lonesome Road is a challenge even when levelled past 30 thanks to it's abundance of incredibly powerful enemies and punishing booby traps which is great in some ways, making combat challenging, but irritating in others, such as having constantly crippled limbs thanks to the over powered satchel charge mines everywhere that have next to no fuse.
The story fills in the biggest plot hole of all, who you are and what you did before being shot in the head, and it does a reasonable job of creating tension and mystery around it. Alas it does lose its way at times, the antagonist often repeating the same things with different phrases instead of pushing the narrative forward, but overall the other elements come together to keep the whole affair satisfying.

If I had to pick one out of the bunch it'd be Old World Blues for sheer comedic value with Lonesome Road coming second thanks to its challenge and more compelling story than Dead Money or Honest Hearts.

[GundamGuy_UK]

Joe did you see this yet? Fall of Cybertron announced
Follow up to War for Cybertron which I really enjoyed. If they can iron out some of the issues it'll be great

Grimlock in the concept art has already sold it to me.

[Silky]

Saw this quote regarding Call of Duty and I loved it. It's a point I have made many times.

"So let me get this straight: In Call of Duty everyone gets a magical death knife - a blade so potent that even a glancing wound to the foot is instantly fatal - and it's the grenade launcher that's considered overpowered? How does that work?"

[monkeyman]

Whilst true and silly and Im not defending CoD as I dislike it; I always saw it as more of a reward for getting the drop on an enemy, and humiliation for them. Generally though, 1 hit melee kills in shooters are retarded

[Llama]

Knife-throw kills are for winners.