Relevant Links:

Fido Dido (Remember him?)

Coupon: The Movie

Target Demographic Podcast

“AngryJ,” fully decked out after 90+ hours of play

And when I say explore, I don’t mean consulting GameFAQs or a serebii.net equivalent to learn how to get the best armor or where to find a high level map. I certainly could have, but I gradually learned that the beauty of DQIX is that it’s so much more fun when you let it take you in a million different directions at once. This may not be apparent in the 40 to 50 hours it takes to beat the main quest, and may even seem counter-intuitive to completionists. Though the story is nonlinear at points and tons of side stuff is available – alchemy, classes, quests – the teleport spell and little ship still don’t offer complete freedom. However, once you get the DQIX‘s airship-train, the entire world is at your fingertips. Suddenly, the game goes from a familiar-but-solid Japanese grinder to a Bethesda RPG in your pocket. Just incredible.

For the unitiated, this means always having something new to see or do. For instance, at one point, I found myself fighting mummies to convert their rags into some helpful knickknack. After a few successful attempts, I ended up with some extra feathers that gave me just enough material to complete a quest that had been nagging me for days. I returned to the village where I had received the quest and bumped into a new resident who needed some help distributing scarves to three different kinds of Sanguini. On my last run, I noticed an area that looked remarkably similar to a treasure map I had on me, and sure enough…

Well, let’s just say that it’s very easy to get carried away when playing. It was so refreshing just letting the game dish out rewards, and as you become more powerful, these rewards become increasingly enticing, too. Square-Enix was also smart to remove some of the ambiguity that plagues other games in the genre. I mean, how exactly would you figure out which stone was required to transform a Haunter into a Ghastly in Pokémon? Or how to get some of the hidden summons in recent Final Fantasy games? By telling me exactly what I needed to do, Dragon Quest IX had me spending more time on the D-pad and less on my laptop or player’s guide.

Though the series will likely never resonate over here like it does in its homeland, I also discovered that there is a pretty dedicated domestic audience that was eager to check out weekend community events. Both at GameStop and Best Buy in August, I talked to like-minded players that were thrilled to be able to swap battle stories and maps. No two characters looked the same, and DQIX‘s emphasis on personal freedom meant that comparing our accolades and accomplishments was almost as much fun as the game itself.

You can’t say Nintendo didn’t pull out all the stops. If frozen blue “slime” on a scorching hot day couldn’t win New Yorkers over, I don’t know what could.

Sadly, it seems the thrills couldn’t last forever, as a bogus temporary save killed many hours of progress on my cart. (I hate to say it, but that’s the gaming kiss of death for me.) But perhaps it’s for the best. With a hectic work schedule and a full slate of games on the horizon, I’m not sure how much time I have for Dragon Quest IX‘s whimsical, low-key world. I think I’ll wait to bust it out a year from now when the temperatures rise and my adventurous side kicks in. Hopefully, the rest of you discover it by then, too.

The most frustrating part is compiling a list of contenders among all the games that come out in a year. In an effort to help myself in January 2011, I’m trying to write down all of the games from January to June that I played and feel deserve my consideration or that others feel merit playing before I decide my top 5.

Here it goes:

Bayonetta (Release: January 5th) – I’ve tried to play through this game. After playing God of War more recently, I’ve come to appreciate how much better a game this is than other character action games. Nonetheless, I couldn’t get through the insipid dialog to force myself to the end. Unless something goes terribly wrong for the remaining titles this year, I don’t foresee this game being much of a contender.

Mass Effect 2 (Release: January 26th) – The first game this year that I couldn’t stop once I started. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun comparing storylines. Barring an unbelievably good times with a lot of titles this fall, Mass Effect 2 is in a good position to be a top contender. (Note to self: play through this game again before the end of the year.)

Bioshock 2 (February 9th) – The return trip to the underwater world of Rapture didn’t seem to click with me as much as the first. I tried to power through but I’m not going to force myself to play a game when there’s so much else that doesn’t require force feeding it to myself. Others may consider it Top 5 material, however, so I’ll keep it here as a reminder.

The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (Release: February 17th) – I’ve got this game sitting on my hard drive untouched since the Steam summer sale. I don’t think it has a chance of hitting my top 5, but it’s a bit of 2010 required reading anyway.

Heavy Rain (February 23rd) – Not sure how I’m feeling about this one, I might need to play through again with Move support when it comes out to make a final decision on how this game shakes out on my Top 5. It’s an important game, no doubt, but it wasn’t a particularly good game.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (March 2nd) – What started out as a sophomoric series became something magical in its second outing. I still come back to the multiplayer frequently and the single player story, while juvenile again, knew better than to try as hard as Modern Warfare 2. A roller coaster from start to finish.

Toy Soldiers (March 3rd) – The first downloadable game that gripped me from the beginning, the setting and unique take on tower defense made for an engaging title that seemed bigger than its file size and price indicated.

Final Fantasy XIII (March 9th) – I didn’t play it and it has some polarizing reviews, but there are some out there who had a good time with this game. I absolutely adored Final Fantasy X, making part of me wish I could enjoy this adventure, but that long playtime is certainly a barrier to entry for me.

Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver (March 14th) – It’s Pokémon – not much more needs to be said. I’m glad I had it for PAX East, but not much has happened in my Johto since then.

Metro 2033 (March 16th) – The first game that I love despite itself in the year. I love the unique take on the Half Life 2 linear formula. Some gripping and honest scripted scenes play out in a magical way. I just wish it didn’t have so many intimidating PC game characteristics, so that I could trick people into playing it.

God of War 3 (March 16th) – Slowly working my way through this beast of a game, but after powering through GoW2, the formula is wearing thin on me. Maybe if I had more time between the two, I’d appreciate this game more.

Splinter Cell: Conviction (April 27th) – Justin seemed to like this and despite the outcry at the demo, I had fun with it. Maybe I’ll play through this sometime.

Super Street Fighter IV (April 27th) – The only 2D fighter I’ll play. Now that we’re a part of the Platform*Nation podcast family, maybe I’ll get to getting beaten down Friday nights with fellow hosts.

Picross 3D (May 3rd) – An entire trip to D.C. and back to see Nicolo devoted to playing through as many levels as possible. It’s just as addicting as the first DS title, but is that enough to break the Top 5?

Skate 3 (May 11th) – Probably not a contender but it came out right before some big titles so I didn’t get to give this game a proper playthrough. Maybe I’ll get back to it on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Bit.Trip Runner (May 17th) – A game good enough to make me dust off my Wii. I just wish there was a place for small games like this in a big Top 5 list.

Red Dead Redemption (May 18th) –  The glitches in the Wild West were awesome. Mexico is a drag and I don’t know if I’ll get back to it. Ten minutes in, this was a GotY shoe-in, but the game overstayed its welcome. I need to see the ending apparently; maybe that’ll sway me.

Alan Wake (May 18th) – Better than people give it credit for, Alan Wake manages to provide a type of game that isn’t out there right now. It’s the direct middle ground between Resident Evil and Gears of War. Engaging and action-packed and atmospheric all at the same time. If only the story wasn’t so confusing. We’ll see if the DLC helps clear the story and a space for Alan Wake in my Top 5.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 (May 23rd) – Obscenely high reviews and recommendation from friends necessitate I play this at some point. But I don’t wanna…

Let me know if I missed any titles. I’ll add them to the list.

For our current listeners, your regularly scheduled programming won’t change much initially, but you can expect a few promotional clips from our partners to break up the Nickelodeon references and “drink” tasting. If you’re just joining us, all that you need to know is that we’re five college friends that have been gaming together for years, and that we want the rest of you to be our honorary Smash Brothers, too. Though we occasionally talk about major announcements, we usually let other shows handle the news. Rather, we’re all about digging into games and seeing what makes them tick. We’re not always timely, but we don’t shy away from hot button issues and controversial opinions. Anyway, you’ll definitely get a feel for our idiosyncrasies in the weeks ahead. For now, crank up the volume and know us better, man.

Relevant Links:

Doctors with Guns

Relevant Links

What is Icarus? (BioShock Infinite Official Site)

Mecha Fetus (more NSFW than Justin remembered)

Jeremy Parish Talks Price Points

Most players could easily rattle off a list of famous gunslingers who would fit perfectly in the gritty world the game presents: Jeremiah Johnson, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Grizzly Adams, Wild Bill, anyone Clint Eastwood has ever played; the list goes on.  But why stop there? If Rockstar itself is already throwing zombies in the mix, let’s pull out all the stops and consider any character who ever made his home on the range as potential DLC fodder. Here’s my own personal ‘most-wanted’ list of outlaws, banditos, cowboys and quick drawers.

10.  Brisco County Jr. (from the “Brisco County Jr.” television series)

Long before Carlton Cuse became a Comic-Con staple as the executive producer of “LOST” with Damon Lindelof, he was already immortalizing himself to nerds everywhere by co-creating a sci-fi western starring Bruce Campbell. Running for 27 episodes in the early 90s, the series was a loopy mixture of classic western, slapstick comedy and science fiction mysteries involving ghosts, time travel, rocket cars and a mysterious orb. Much like anything ever graced by Bruce Campbell’s chin, the series is a cult hit full of memorable characters and self-aware gags – the pilot alone somehow pulls off the classic Wile E. Coyote ‘landscape painted on a brick wall on the train tracks’ goof with a straight face – that tells an engaging story without taking itself too seriously. I’m already of the mind that Bruce Campbell improves anything (movies, television series, soup) with his presence, so why should a video game be any different?

9.  Doc Brown (from “Back to the Future III”)

Speaking of sci-fi and westerns, what could be better than adding Dr. Emmett Brown and the rest of the 1885-era “Back to the Future III” cast to Red Dead Redemption? For all of Christopher Lloyd’s poor acting choices afterward (“My Favorite Martian” and the Sundance Film Festival favorite “Camp Nowhere” spring to mind), the character of Doc Brown has enough charisma to forgive any future transgressions. Think of the possibilities: a new all-acoustic soundtrack of ZZ Top/Huey Lewis covers, hovering steam trains equipped with flux capacitors, shootouts with Buford “Mad Dog” Tannen, winning the heart of Clara Clayton and all the manure carts you can handle. Although usually known as “the ‘Back to the Future’ movie everyone likes the least but is somehow on TV the most,” the third entry has a lot of redeeming qualities.

If there was a jail for nerds in the future and you had J-U-L-E-S and V-E-R-N-E tattooed on your fists, introducing people to them would certainly get you a lot of cred.

8.  Woody (from “Toy Story”)

You didn’t think these would all be real flesh-and-blood cowboys, did you? If this choice offends you, I suggest you go no further, gentle reader; what lies ahead is sure to make you groan. Back to our favorite plastic deputy – if you saw “Toy Story 3″ this summer and didn’t have your goddamn heart warmed to capacity you are a monster, plain and simple. Woody’s diminutive size could be troublesome for incorporating into the game, so using the latest in computer technology, I’ve prepared a picture of what a life-size Woody would look like.

The soothing voice of Tom Hanks and the plump body of present-day Tim Allen?  All my dreams have come true.

Other features of the “Woody’s Roundup” DLC pack include: all in-game music replaced with Randy Newman narrating your character’s actions to a bouncy piano and clarinet tune, new ridable mount Bullseye, Etch-a-Sketch shootout mode and a brand-new villain – it’s Six Shooter from “Puppetmaster III!”

Not quite as good as “Retro Puppetmaster,” but hey man, the remote is all the way over there and there’s probably nothing better on anyway.

7.  Wylie Burp (from “An American Tail: Fievel Goes West”)

Voiced by James Stewart in his final role, Wylie Burp is a legendary soldier who went on to fight as a member of The Boss’s elite Cobra Unit in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. During the events of “Fievel Goes West,” he oversees numerous training montages and offers helpful quotes like the following that sound like someone filled in the word “dog” for every noun and verb in a mad-lib: “I’m tired of leading a dog’s life and fightin’ like cats and dogs against cats and dogs. A young pup’s doggin’ my trail tryin’ to become top dog. I’m going to the dogs in a dog eat dog world, son.” He’s mostly known for ridding the west of something called the Cactus Cat Gang and helping Fievel prevent the insidious ‘mouseburgers*’ plot. *Not to be confused with the rodent social disorder of the same name.

“I’ve been doggin’ a dog ’til the dogs come home tryin’ to dog my dog-eared pup copy of Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch. Also, dogs.” -Wylie Burp

6. The Stranger (from “The Big Lebowski”)

Giving a narrative bookend for The Dude’s adventures, The Stranger (played by Sam Elliott’s mustache) would be a perfect addition to the world of Red Dead Redemption. Downloading his DLC adds narration to the beginning and end of John Marston’s story, an opportunity to drink White Russians with The Stranger in any saloon, roving gangs of nihilists to battle and a special “Bar Eats You/You Eat Bar” all-or-nothing hunting mode. He also pops up in the corner of the screen, à la Dan “Toasty” Forden, to issue a gentle complaint any time a character cusses. (This feature cannot be disabled.)

The greatest mustache on film.

5.  Mr. Benjamin Ernst and his son, Buddy (from “Hey Dude”)

Mr. Ernst is a good-natured but somewhat bumbling… shit, I can’t do this. I wanted to somehow include a reference to old-school Nickelodeon in here because it’s kind of my forté, but there’s no good way to shoehorn this in because I never could sit through a full episode of this show. Here is everything anyone ever needs to know about “Hey Dude”:

1) It was on immediately after “Salute Your Shorts,” meaning sometimes you’d get tricked into watching it or at least hearing the opening theme.
2) Sometimes the TV Guide would say “Salute Your Shorts” was going to be on and you’d wait around for it, but then it would end up being a goddamn episode of “Hey Dude” instead.
3) Something about killer cacti.
4) If an actor ever appeared on one show like this and then nothing else, someone will claim to have scored pot from them recently on the actor’s IMDB message board. There will also be a topic thread titled “Still alive???”

Yippie kai yai WHAT?

4.  Twinkie the Kid/ Marlboro Man/The Frito Bandito (from various advertisements)

At first I was just going to include Twinkie the Kid, but I figured he needed some back-up from other western-inspired heavy hitters in the advertising industry. According to his entry in “Tobin’s Spirit Guide”: “Twinkie the Kid is an anthropomorphized Twinkie appearing as a wrangler. He wears boots, gloves, a kerchief and a ten-gallon hat.” Apparently, he has a friend named Fruit Pie the Magician, but the less said about him, the better. Downloading this DLC spawns billboards all across the landscapes of America and Mexico, unlocks decals of corporate logos for your horse, turns all native flora into cigarette bushes and fauna into roaming cupcakes and zingers, and adds special town vendors who aggressively market Hostess, Marlboro and Frito-Lay products. This same DLC is included as a free mandatory update with all new copies of Alan Wake.

The Magnificent Three.

3. Jim West and Artemus Gordon (from “Wild Wild West”)

There is something you need to know about me: the only song I know all the lyrics to is Will Smith’s eponymous “Wild Wild West” – but I have a damn good excuse. You may remember this classic mash-up of Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish” and Kool Moe Dee’s “Wild Wild West” from 1988. Other than adding a few whip crack effects and the dulcet tones of Dru Hill and Sisqo, Will Smith also managed to personally see to it that a cassette tape of the single for the song became permanently lodged in the tape player of the first car I ever owned, a 1995 Ford Windstar. No matter what techniques I tried or Faustian bargains I entered, the cassette would not disentangle itself from my tape deck, but don’t worry – it played perfectly fine and could self-rewind. Rather than risk breaking the deck or bother taking it apart, driving my car became equivalent to entering a world where time and space lost all meaning. Metric distance no longer had any information to offer me – all distances between locations were measured by the number of times I could listen to Wild Wild West. Need to get from school to the Taco Bell down the street?  No problem, that’s only 1.4 WWWs. Want to take a road trip to Canada? I hope you like glimpsing at eternity four minutes and seven seconds at a time, chief.

Up to sundown, roamin’ around, see where the bad guys are to be found ‘n make ‘em lay down.

But anyway…oh yeah, Jim West and Artemus Gordon. They could have gadgets and shit, or the whole mode could just be speed-running the game trying to stay one step ahead of the saw blade zooming after the magnetic collar on your neck. Also the big steam-powered spider and inexplicable robot man who works the bellows (I’m serious – what the fuck? Was that guy really supposed to be a robot or what?) of it that Will Smith fights in the movie could be included.

2.  The Three Amigos (from “The Three Amigos”)

Initially, it was a really tough decision whether to include characters from “The Three Amigos,” “City Slickers 2: The Legend of Curly’s Gold,” or “Wagons East!” (AKA the film that killed John Candy). This is probably the only time in history that the words in the previous sentence will ever fall together in that particular order – savor it while you can!  What eventually won me over, in much the same way that the opera scene in Final Fantasy VI inevitably places it a few notches higher on “Best of” lists than the other games in the series, was remembering the scene where Chevy Chase, Steve Martin and Martin Short gather around a fire at dusk and sing “Blue Shadows” on the world’s most purposely fake set. By the end of the song, it’s a ridiculous pastiche of the classic western prairie – coyotes, owls and bobcats are tossed onto the set, stars are streaking across the sky, horses are inexplicably singing and there’s a talking turtle, to boot. It also credits Randy Newman as a singing bush. Let’s see Billy Crystal compete with that!

Back to the Red Dead Redemption universe…teaming up as one of the three amigos for co-op missions specifically made for three players would be pretty amazing.  You could pretty much replace the entire middle part of the game with the “El Guapo” plot from the movie and I don’t think anyone would notice.

1.  Cowboy Curtis (from “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse”)

Do I even need to say anything? This is an incredible character. Let’s look at the evidence:

1) Cowboy Curtis is the owner of the finest jheri curl mullet I have ever had the privilege of viewing.
2) His lasso is made of rotoscoping magic and is thought to be a powerful artifact stolen from a mighty wizard king.
3) You would think Laurence Fishburne would look back on his Cowboy Curtis days as silly or with a little bit of regret after rebranding himself with the Matrix series. You would be dead wrong. Fishburne gave his blessing for another actor to portray Cowboy Curtis if “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse” returned to the stage or as a TV show, but says if another movie is made he will once again proudly don the mantle of Cowboy Curtis. Incredible.
4) His best friends include a genie and a king.

5) If you do a Google image search for “Cowboy Curtis,” the vast majority of results return this picture – a candid shot taken immediately after Cowboy Curtis created the heavens and earth, posing as if it were no big deal.

Horses With No Name

The following characters were considered, but ultimately didn’t make the cut for the Top 10 for pretty obvious reasons:

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Punch & Judy (from “Big Shot” on “Cowboy Bebop”)
Flint (from Mother 3)
Mad Dog McCree (from The World’s Best Arcade Game)
Otis, the owner of the Dude Ranch that they go to on that one episode of “Malcolm In The Middle”
BraveStarr (Look it up, I dare you!)
Cowboys of Moo Mesa (Hahaha, this is too much fun.)
TinStar (Okay, I’m done, I’m done.)

Time to hit the trail. See ya next time!

“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” releases nationally in theaters today, potentially turning the underground graphic novel series into a money-making franchise. But while the flashy fights and spirited cast may put butts in seats, it’s the heart at the center of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s work that will keep people talking. This week, Justin and Nick tackle the entire story, looking at it specifically through the gamer’s perspective. They discuss their favorite moments, the recent game tie-in and why Edgar Wright was the right man to direct the film adaptation. It’s time to level up and discover the power of love.

Relevant Links:

“Spaced” on Hulu

UGO’s SP Video Game References List

Boing Boing’s Yakuza 3 Review (from the Yakuza perspective)

Relevant Links:

Man’s “Best” Friend, BIGDOG

Lyrics for Sonic and the Secret Rings (Sing along!)

Bitmob

Call me crazy, but I think this more effectively sells me on the Wii than it does on the Kinect.

Speaking anecdotally, I haven’t talked to any non-gaming friends who were aware of Kinect or any of its software. They took notice when the Wii launched, and they’re usually on board for a Rock Band party, but I know for a fact that none of these fine folks could tell you what a Kinectimal is. Sadly, polling numbers suggest that this isn’t isolated to the Justin circle, either. But I’m not bringing this up as purely gloom and doom. As Kaz and I both stated on the podcast, we both intend to purchase Kinect at launch and want nothing but the best for the device.* Rather, there needs to a be a shift in the perception going forward that this is more than just a Wii Sports/Fit clone in a pricier sell. How does Microsoft make that happen? Read on.

*Keep in mind that I’m writing under the generous perception that Kinect’s technology works as advertised and that all of the key games live up to expectations. If everything isn’t up to par, then even the most drastic steps won’t save Kinect.

1. Move the Spotlight – Right now, Microsoft seems determined to push its first party stuff just as much as it does Dance Central and Child of Eden. This is a mistake. Never mind the fact that Kinect Adventures could outclass Wii Play (potentially), there are always going to be inherent similarities that make the newcomer look like more of the same. With Dance Central, the advantages to Harmonix’s full-body dance routine are easy to digest, and while most pundits suggest that Child of Eden is one for the “hardcore,” the game’s celestial beauty holds wider appeal than that. Basically, push the new instead of what looks like the old.
2. No Red Lights – I don’t think it’s an understatement when I say that the Red Ring of Death fiasco was Microsoft’s worst PR blunder since entering the gaming market. People still joke about it, but its also the source of bitter feelings and lost customers. Don’t let this happen twice. Double-check that hardware, and make sure it works as advertised. (This included being able to play from the couch when warranted!)
3. Demos EVERYWHERE – If people only learned about the Wii through television commercials and print ads, it would not have become the phenomenon that it is today. Word of mouth and hands-on waggling were what got new gamers to pony up for Wii Sports. As of now, there are supposedly a few Kinects hiding in Macy’s, but if Microsoft really wants this to take off, it needs to send hardware to every Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart and Target nationwide. Kids and parents need to be dancing in the store aisles, pronto.
4. Advertise EVERYWHERE – At the same time, Microsoft can’t be stingy with the advertisement budget. Sporting events are a good start, but what about daytime TV? Movie theaters? Streaming video sites? Bringing in a new audience means putting yourself out there.
5. Open Up to Indies -So far, downloadable titles have been left out of the grand plan, and I couldn’t begin to fathom why. If developers want to release side projects that take advantage of motion control, why should their ambitions be curbed? For many, games like Limbo and Shank end up higher on the priority list than big budget titles, so perhaps Microsoft should open up the controller for the little guy. Hell, bring in the Indie Games program, too. You might accidentally lure in some hardcore players while you’re at it!
6. Promises for the Future - This point is perhaps the most crucial. When friends ask me whether they should go with Move or Kinect, I typically tell them that I think Move is the safer bet. Not because I think the games will necessarily be better – I’m interested in exactly two games for Kinect and zero for the Move, personally – but because Sony’s promised quite a bit for the future. Some of its biggest Move games are slated for next year, while many games that have already been released are also being retrofitted with motion support. With Kinect, do we have any idea what’s coming out after launch? As far as I know, we have Milo and a vague set of options for Forza. That’s not reassuring for the customer putting down $150.

Nobody said launching a new platform would be cheap, but any of these steps could help make Kinect a winner this holiday. The price tag is absolutely steep, but it’s not insurmountable, and people still like the tech even if the E3 lineup seemed lackluster. We’ll see in November if Microsoft’s willing to dig deep; as an early adopter, I’m crossing my fingers.

Oh yeah…I’d avoid bringing this guy stateside, too:

When: 9 p.m. EST, August 5th

What: Castlevania: Harmony of Despair

Where: Xbox Live

Why: Because miserable little piles of secrets need to stick together!

RSVP here

Relevant Links:

BlayzBloo Trailer

Poor Samba de Amigo Monkey

Note: The interview with Jeff starts about 50 minutes into the show.

Relevant Links:

Jeff Agala’s Art Spot

Sim City 4 Megalopolis

The shows at the Brick Theater included “Kewl-Aid Man in Second Life,” a guided tour of the virtual world starring the famous pitcher monster; “A Short Lecture of a Different Time,”a history lesson told through 8-bit graphics; and “Theater of the Arcade,” which took several simple game narratives and adapted them for the stage. I attended “Grand Theft Ovid” and “Modal Kombat,” both of which I’ll discuss after the jump. The $15 ticket price is a bit steep for amateur theater, but I think the show could develop into something special in a few years time. Be sure to at least keep your eyes peeled next year if you’re a fellow Brooklynite.

Grand Theft Ovid

This student project was a live machinima featuring graphics from World of Warcraft, Grand Theft Auto IV and even Guitar Hero III. Director Eddie Kim and his fellow students acted out pre-recorded dialogue with in-game characters, telling stories from Metamorphoses with a heavy dose of humor. Because these kids were manipulating characters in real-time, the results were much less polished than say, “Red vs. Blue,” but I appreciated seeing so many different game genres pulled together to tell cohesive stories. For instance, in the story of “Daedalus and Icarus,” the latter’s wings were constructed of guard towers in Warcraft 3 and his flight (and fall) were captured in a GTA IV parachute drop. Another highlight was “Apollo and Daphne,” in which the kids invited fellow World of Warcraft players to participate in the live play. The results were about as hilarious as you’d expect.

Modal Kombat

Again, this show was a little rough, but the clever concepts made up for the shortcomings in the execution. In “Modal Kombat,” David Hindman and Evan Drummond turned their acoustic guitars into video game controllers. The games were modded to respond to certain pitches (as far as I can tell) with a supplementary foot pedal in some instances. In Pong, upward and downward slides moved the paddles accordingly, while in Mortal Kombat, the two used both staccato and sustained notes to create a violent “ballet.” At its best, the examples on hand showed how visuals, music and interactivity could be combined for a sensory experience akin to a poor man’s Rez. Attendance was a bit too sparse to get much audience participation, but I’d love to see these guys and others continue to improve upon the ideas.