The Reboot

The Reboot - 5 Reasons Why NBA 2K11 is the Best Basketball Video Game Ever

Creating a basketball video game that accurately represents the real-life sport is a difficult task. However, 2K Sports was able to do just that with their latest reiteration of the sport with NBA 2K11. Many have called it one of the best basketball video games in recent history, but I believe it is the best basketball video game ever.

In this episode of The Reboot, I’ll give you 5 reasons why NBA 2K11 stands out among the rest.

To download this and other Reboot episodes, go to the Vimeo Reboot page.  Reboot episodes can also be found on YouTube and Gametrailers.

The Reboot - Are Music Games Dead?

The numbers say it’s getting there.  According to a report in September by infamous Wedbush Morgan Securities Analyst Michael Pachter, music games totaled just $152 million through September 30 of this year, down 50% from a year earlier. 

So why is this happening?  Are players sick of buying new plastic instruments, purchasing DLC or just sick of the genre in general? 

In this episode of The Reboot, I spoke with Guitar Hero Co-Founder and Red Octane CEO Kai Huang, Martin Wilkes of FMOD and Andrew Schneider of Live Gamer about the state of the music game industry, how it’s evolved and whether it will continue to evolve in the future. 

The Reboot - Kinect vs. Move vs. Wii

With the unveiling of the Kinect for Xbox 360, Sony’s announcement of the Playstation Move and or course the Nintendo Wii, the big 3 are officially in the motion control business, which means many gamers suddenly have options when it comes to choosing a motion controller.

In this episode of The Reboot, I compare all three controllers based on several factors, including hardware, games and accessories.

The Reboot - Power Gig: Rise of the SixSting Video Preview

Here’s a video preview of Power Gig: Rise of the SixString.  On second thought, let’s call this a mini-preview of the game since Matt Sughrue, Seven45 Studios Executive Producer, didn’t give me much to work with when I did this interview with him at GDC 2010 in San Francisco. 

In this episode of The Reboot, Sughrue provides details about game modes, the guitar peripherals and how the game differs from games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band.  However, you won’t find much information on its song library, vocals or drum kit (I tried to pry the goods out of him, but to no avail).  Despite this, I decided to post the interview up on the blog anyway.  

The game is expected to be released for the Xbox 360 and PS3 sometime this fall. 

To download this video and other Reboot episodes, go to The Reboot Vimeo page.  Reboot content can also be found on YouTube and Gametrailers.

The Reboot - Exclusive Spoof of Madden NFL 11 Debut Trailer

I have a love/hate relationship with Madden.  I started playing Madden during the Sega Genesis days, LOVED the series when it was out for the Playstation/PS2, despised it when it first came out for the Xbox 360 and recently jumped back on the bandwagon last year. 

Last week the folks at EA Sports launched the debut trailer for Madden NFL 11.  After watching it, I couldn’t help but feel like they plan to “dumb-down” this year’s game.  Picking plays for me?  Cutting game times in half by PICKING PLAYS FOR ME?  I thought this was a Sim football experience?  Sure, these new features cater to the casual gamer, but most Madden players are hardcore pigskin gamers who want total control of the experience.

To denounce EA Sports’ idea of a “Simpler, Quicker and Deeper” Madden, I created a spoof of Madden NFL 11’s debut trailer.  Enjoy.

The Reboot - Mafia 2 Video Preview

Mafia 2 is a sandbox-style game where gamers dive into the mob underworld set in the late 1940’s/early 1950’s. The game mimic the hollywood mob flick experience in a living, breathing city, with detailed cinematics, third person gunplay, reckless driving and an engaging narrative. In this episode of The Reboot, I spoke with 2K Games Producer Denby Grace about some of the key features of Mafia 2 and how it compares to its predecessor.

The Reboot - Civilization V Video Preview

Civilization is often called the best game in PC history and the people at Firaxis hope to build on that reputation with Civilization V.  The series has a loyal and cult-like fan base that has been waiting patiently for years to get their hands on Civ V.  So what can fans of the series expect this time around?  In this episode of The Reboot, I spoke with Firaxis Art Lead Dorian Newcomb about some of the major features of the game.

To download this and other Reboot episodes go to The Reboot Vimeo channel.  Reboot content can also be found on YouTube and Gametrailers.

The Reboot - Sony Gets its Move On

Sony recently announced the launch of its Playstation Move motion controller at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Several Move titles were on display at GDC, including SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs, Motion Fighter and Move Party. In this episode of The Reboot, I’ll preview these games and more.

To download this and other Reboot episodes, go to The Reboot Vimeo Page.  Reboot content can also be found on YouTube and Gametrailers.

The Reboot - EA Sports Season Opener Event @ GDC

EA Sports showed off a few of its upcoming titles at its Season Opener event in San Francisco this week.  EA Sports MMA, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 and 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa were on display for those in attendance.  In this episode of The Reboot, I spoke with EA Sports MMA Product Marketing Manager Randy Chase, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 Designer Travis Sailor and FIFA World Cup South Africa Producer Matthew Prior about some of the new features and gameplay modes for all three titles.

For more Reboot videos, go to the Vimeo Reboot page.  Reboot videos can also be found on YouTube and Gametrailers.