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[Eel O'Brian]

http://cruncheons.podbean.com/mf/web/63z92b/Cruncheons27.mp3

Doug, Robert, Arian, Ryan, and Kevin Kony 2012 it up in the first segment with talk about the new iPad,then in the second segment we have a PS Vita hardware and game roundup (Uncharted, Unit 13, Hot Shots, Dynasty Warriors, etc), along with talk about Mass Effect 3 (SPOILERS, no joke), Silent Hill: Downpour, Tales of Graces, Street Fighter Vs. Tekken, Star Wars Old Republic, Star Control 2 fan remake, and more.

Segment One: iPad THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Segment Two: Vita talk, and games

(34:25) Vita roundup, hardware and launch window games (Uncharted, Unit 13, Hot Shots, Dynasty Warriors, etc)

(1:22:00) Mass Effect 3 (SPOILER ALERT - skip this section if you don't wish to have plot points and ending spoiled)

(1:33:15) Silent Hill: Downpour

(1:43:15) Tales of Graces f

(1:45:45) Street Fighter vs. Tekken

(1:49:30) Quick hits on Sw: Old Republic, Star Control 2 fan remake, Anno 2070

Talk to you again soon!

 

[Rufus]

Let us make your lives better, gentlemen.

Thank you.

edit:

Oh come on guys, you too reach for the low hanging fruit of "we don't like the ending because it's not happy go lucky"?

Got you fired up though, so that was nice.

 

[GhaleonQ]

*TOTALLY saw that this was up when NeoGAF was down*

*downloaded it before it was cool*

*forum hipster*

 

[HamPster PamPster]

Seeing this begin to download was an unexpected surprise

Two minutes into the Vita discussion and I'm afraid they will sell me on Unit 13. Haven't I spent enough?

 

[erpg]

Oh come on guys, you too reach for the low hanging fruit of "we don't like the ending because it's not happy go lucky"?

Stawman segment. Excellent work, guys.

 

[Gattsu25]

Awesome

Gonna listen to this now.

edit: got to the ME3 discussion. To try to explain the outcry from the perspective of someone who avoided ME3:

It's one of the those games where they introduce a brand new

Spoiler

character

in the last 5 minutes

Spoiler

who goes on an exposition bomb that kinda contradicts what happened before. This exposition introduces more questions,

and is another example of why games (and anime) need to avoid further instances of metaphysical bullshit. The kids on the bioware forum do want a happy ending but there are other gamers out there that just want an ending that makes some sort of sense. Also, apparently none of your

Spoiler

choices really mean a thing at the end of the game which is something that people won't pick up on until they complete the game a second time

.


There's also some accusations of general laziness with

Spoiler

Tali being based on a Gettyimages.com stock photo with mild photoshop (including the stock lens flare) added (http://i.imgur.com/AnsUZl.jpg) and the post-credit ending being heavily inspired by the #1 google image search result for winter space (http://i.imgur.com/8G7uF.jpg)

 

[HamPster PamPster]

I will not sit idly by as they trash JRPG endings. Weeaboo or not, FF9 still brings a tear to my eye. Bring my beloved Dagger back to me! Have you no heart Doug?

I agree 100% with your take on the Vita and its outlook. I hope something happens in Japan so those devs embrace the system and the PS1/PSP style games can come out on the Vita.

 

[Drinky Crow]

i was born without a sentimentality gland, i.e a soul :-(

weep for me, ye of tender hearts :-(

 

[HK-47]

Let us make your lives better, gentlemen.

Thank you.

edit:

Oh come on guys, you too reach for the low hanging fruit of "we don't like the ending because it's not happy go lucky"?

Got you fired up though, so that was nice.

i guess they are all games journalists.

ice burn

 

[Neuromancer]

Thanks, will listen. Have a long trip tomorrow.

 

[pje122]

Are there Mass Effect 3 spoilers..?

 

[Eel O'Brian]

Oh yes. Skip that section if you haven't played and don't want plotlines or the ending spoiled.

 

[pje122]

Yeah I still need to get around to Mass Effect 2...
Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[cw_sasuke]

The first couple minutes about es about kony 2012 were horrible and not really entertaining or funny :-/

 

[Rufus]

The first couple minutes about es about kony 2012 were horrible and not really entertaining or funny :-/

It wasn't really a joke and without context thoroughly unfunny, but "I don't hate children. But this is funny" got me. I don't even want to know what they were talking about specifically.

 

[HamPster PamPster]

What, no spoilers for the cruncheons book club next episode? I need to read it now before you forever color my opinion of it

 

[GhaleonQ]

It's funny that that's the line of attack you all chose on Mass Effect 3 fans. If there's any major western role-playing game series that reminds me of a bad eastern one, it's Mass Effect.

Anyway, I loved the breakdown of the Vita by all of you guys. It's so refreshing to hear knowledgeable discussion that isn't expressed in cliche or in the lines of conversation chosen by game reviewers. I feel like I'm hearing independent takes on software and hardware.

THAT SAID, has anyone explained what makes a good janky game different from a bad one. I'm surprised that Silent Hill didn't charm Drinky by being unique within the franchise and genre. Even though you said you'd put it in the strong 2nd tier of Silent Hill games, you didn't sound that engaged.

Also: what makes a "strong" single-player fighting game mode to any of you? If it's story, I wondered if you've played The Last Blade/Bakumatsu Romance. If it's content and gameplay experimentation, are you going to play Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown?

AND SPEAKING OF THE LAST BLADE: I think the scenarios, tweaks, and gameplay of Total War's Fall Of The Samurai expansion would really appeal to you. The Cruncheons is the Ezo Republic of video game discussion, I think.

 

[Eel O'Brian]

Style and setting have a lot to do with it, for me. The Saboteur had a lot of problems, but the occupied France setting, the retro/modern Jazz music, the borderline caricaturesque player character, and the B&W-to-color way of marking progression combined to make it one of my favorite "janky" games of the generation. That game just oozed style. Some of those traits have a lot to do with my love for Deadly Premonition, as well.

I really need to find the time to dive into the Total War games. I own almost all of them thanks to Steam sales, but I know they're a bit of a "chair" commitment so I've always been a little hesitant to go beyond the tutorials.

I haven't been much of a fighting game fan since the Street Fighter days when my friends and I would gather on a weekend night and torment each other relentlessly. I do find stuff like the Mortal Kombat tower mode interesting as far as an attempt to keep the single player occupied goes, and may pick it up for the Vita at some point.

For the Book Club ep I'll be talking about a novel that a famous Clint Eastwood movie was based upon, and some older genre short story collections.

 

[Drinky Crow]

downpour's technical issues and lame monsters hold it back, as well as some weak animation/modeling. it also falls apart, story-wise, in the back nine of the game. overall, though, it was a good silent hill, and has some of the best pacing, puzzle design, and level design in the series.

i loved last blade 2, and absolutely i am gonna play vf5 final showdown.