The Funniest Personalities in Gaming

Making a list of the funniest personalities in gaming was much harder than I anticipated. There are so many great podcasts and websites out there these days that picking the guys who make you laugh the most is a daunting task.

When all is said and done though, these five guys rose to the top and are (in my opinion) the ones who will make you laugh out loud in the most embarrassing places if you are a podcast nut.

To make the list, I only included the guys that are consistently funny and whose presence on a podcast serves to make it something special. All of these guys are funny in their own way, and because humour is so subjective, you may not agree with the list. However, despite where they all fall on this list, all of these guys will make you laugh, unless of course you have no soul.

And the top 5 funniest are:

5. Jeff Green – EGM

Best known for: GFW Radio podcast, never knowing the date…sometimes being off by years, taking 17 hours to win Portal!

Why he made the list: Jeff makes his weekly appearances on the GFW Radio Podcast and his laid back, laissez-faire way of running the show is hilarious. He’ll often lead the discussion into the most ridiculous topics and is never afraid to speak his mind about some of the crap he and his co-workers have to deal with every day in the gaming business.

4. Greg Miller – IGN

Best known for: Podcast Beyond, Game Scoop podcast, a famous Lair Review, Ghostbusters love affair

Why he made the list: Greg is easily the loudest of all the game editors out there. He frequently shatters the eardrums of his fellow podcasters with his enthusiastic chatter. Known for his love of singing and screaming “beyond!”, Greg has quickly made a name for himself in the gaming community. Famous already for his review of Lair, Greg has become a staple on the popular Game Scoop podcast and has become well know for some spirited rants (a particularly memorable one being against the PS3 and PSP).

3. Jeff Gerstmann – Giant Bomb

Best known for: Gamespot, On the Spot, the Hotspot Podcast, the Giant Bombcast, “Gerstmanngate”

Why he made the list: Jeff has been in the industry for over a decade now and has reached almost icon status after the infamous “Gerstmanngate” affair that saw him fired from Gamespot. For anyone that doesn’t know about what went down just type that into Google and you’ll find out. It’s hard to nail down why exactly Jeff is so funny, but his quick wit and vast knowledge of video games gives him lots of material to draw on.

2. Hilary Goldstein – IGN

Best known for: Three Red Lights Podcast, berating Nate Ahearn, being that game journalist everybody mistakes for a girl

Why he made the list: Hilary is the jerk of the gaming community and where’s his crown with pride in the offices of IGN. That’s why he is so damn funny. Poor Nate Ahearn is frequently the brunt of his best jokes, but nobody is safe from his rapier wit. Whether he is throwing Ryan Clements’ new Dualshock 3 controller across the room and destroying it or apologizing to gamers for anything that Nate says or does, Hilary is pure gold. He knows his stuff and is not afraid to skewer any person or game that gets in his way. Who else would have the balls to name the Xbox 360’s podcast “Three Red Lights”? Gold(stein) I tell ya.

1. Shawn Elliot – EGM

Best known for: GFW Radio, 1UP Yours, prank calls, freestyles, terrorizing the online gaming community, reading forum posts by online idiots

Why he made the list: Ok, this list was hard to wittle down to only five, but the number one choice was very easy. Shawn is far and away the funniest personality in the gaming community. If you have never had the chance to listen to the GFW Radio Podcast, you have to now. While it is a podcast about games, it always devolves into something completely and utterly ridiculous. Nobody is better than Shawn at making fun of people, situation and poking holes in popular culture. He has the best voice ever for that “emo” guy who is actually in love with a cartoon video game character and frequently uses it in prank calls and during online “readings” of the most ridiculous crap in the gaming community. His metaphors and analogies are simply brilliant and his knowledge of gaming and gamers gives him the ability to make fun of anybody and anything in all situations.

Trying to explain why somebody is funny is no easy task. You really do need to listen to these guys in their element to really understand. I’m sure many of you will have your favorite memories of each of these guys. There are so many that it would be impossible to try and recount them all here.

I have to give honourable mentions to Ryan Davies of Giant Bomb who has such great chemistry with Jeff Gerstmann, Ghambus Khan of ZTGamesDomain who consistently steals the show and Nate Ahearn of IGN who really knows how to roll with Hilary’s constant onslaught on insults.

If you are interested in seeing what all the fuss was about be sure to check out my list of the “Top 10 Podcasts for Gamers” that includes links to all of the podcasts where you can listen to these guys yourself.

Who would you add to the list? Disagree? Let me know!

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Sins of a Solar Empire (PC)

Ok, when I first set up this site I anticipated that I would keep the content console specific (hence the name). However, since I am a gamer with no allegiance to any one system or platform, I also have a gaming rig setup to allow me to play the occasional PC game.

To help fill the void as I await the imminent release of Grand Theft Auto IV I started looking into games the PC currently has to offer. Immediately, Sins of a Solar Empire caught my eye. I was a huge Master of Orion fan back in the day and Sins was getting some stellar reviews – check out IGN and 1UP’s reviews for more details.

Sins is not your traditional 4x game: eXpand, eXplore, eXploit, eXterminate. Instead, Sins is a RT4X game that blends those elements with real time strategy. Essentially, Sins is a combination of Master of Orion and Homeworld. Published by Stardock, the ones who brought us another Master of Orion clone in Galactic Civilization, Sins allows you to take control of one of three very different races (the Trader Emergency Coalition, the Advent or the Vasari) and has all the elements that keep that “one more turn” mentality going. Those of course being building and managing massive fleets, developing planets, engaging in diplomacy, fending off space pirates, researching new technologies, fighting real time space combat…and I could go on.

To see what I’m talking about, check the official trailer for the game below.

Put simply, this game blew me away. It is really fun and once you learn how to play (be prepared for a steep learning curve) Sins becomes one of those experiences that will suck you in for hours on end. I have only played through 3 games so far (all on small maps and they take about 3 hours each) and have yet to even think about diving into online multiplayer. This is one of those games that will take countless hours to master and the depth of the game is incredible. For only $39.99, it’s a steal if you have a computer with the specs to run this game. Even better, developer Ironclad is releasing a constant stream of updates to the game and there are already hints that expansion packs are on the way.

For anyone who loved Master of Orion or is a current Galactic Civilizations junkie, this game is a must buy.

Check out some of the screenshots below and a video of some of the space combat (yes, it really is this awesome).

For more information, be sure to check out Sins official website here.

Interview: Ironclad talks about Sins of a Solar Empire Entrenchment – The company came out of (nearly) nowhere with their first game earlier this year, the space strategy title Sins of a Solar Empire. Published via Stardock the game’s excellent reviews and its lack of a traditional copy-protection scheme … Sins of a Solar Empire Expansions UK Release Confirmed – To be released this year. News: Sins of a Solar Empire to get 4 add-ons – Kalypso Media has today sent out an announcement that they’ll be publishing no less than 4 add-on packs for [FLURL=@game_detail?name=Sins-of-a-Solar-Empire&id=2789]Sins of a Solar Empire[/FLURL] with the first getting released still …

What happened to Elveon?

Back in 2005 we were treated to some early video and screens of an upcoming title for the PC and XBOX 360 called Elveon. In development from 10TACLE Studios, Elveon is a fantasy-action title built on the Unreal 3 Engine. At the time it was first revealed, the title showed great promise. Since then, information about the game has simply dried up.

The question is, what happened to this promising game? Has it been cancelled? A quick scan of 10TACLE Studios website will find a link to Elveon, but no new information has been added for several months. Has the project simply gone dark, or can we expect a release sometime this year?

In case you haven’t seen any of the screenshots yet, check them out.

Also be sure to check out the videos that got me excited about this title in the first place. I just hope this game hasn’t gone the way of the dodo.

The first one shows some sweet combat in the game.

Here is the trailer.

And finally a cut scene.

The Force Unleashed Just Got Better

Well, I was already so pumped for this game that it was already going to be a must buy. But now, after this video and announcement, I simply can’t wait for September to come!

This is the Star Wars game that we’ve always wanted to play.

Check it out…Darth Vader gameplay!

Top 5 Problems with Rock Band

Ok, I know I’m really late to the party for this game. After putting it off for months I finally decided to pony up the $200 cash (after taxes of course) and I brought this baby home. Allow me to preface this article by saying that Rock Band is an awesome game. Playing with your friends must be experienced first-hand to truly appreciate the greatness of this game. While the solo campaign can have its moments, this game is designed to be played with a group.

Now, after having put in more hours than I care to admit, a few things about the game have emerged as more than just minor nuisances. In an effort to organize my thoughts I have compiled a list of the top 5 things that need to be fixed in the next iteration of Harmonix’s Rock Band.

Please note, that I am tackling Rock Band from the perspective I think most people who go and buy this game will be able to relate to. I’m talking about the gamers who want to be able to bring it home, set it up and rock out with their friends. This game is far more about having fun with friends than it is about “passing levels,” “beating the boss” or “winning the game.”

And now, the top 5 things that need to be improved for Rock Band’s inevitable next iteration:

5. The guitar is terrible.

Anyone that has played with the guitars from Guitar Hero 2 or 3 will immediately notice how cheap and flimsy the guitar is that comes packaged with Rock Band. It simply doesn’t feel right. Making matters worse, the guitar is not wireless. If the guitar that comes with Guitar Hero 3 can be wireless, why can’t this one? Since I have the 360 version, I’m going to assume that it was a problem with Microsoft, as the PS3 version has a wireless guitar. Topping it all off, my guitar broke within 1 week of buying the game. Put simply, that is unacceptable.

4. The microphone has no buttons or ability to navigate menus.

Throughout the game there are many, many times when the lead singer will have to push the A button to select “continue.” Seems simple right? Nope. You have to find a controller and do it that way. While this seems like a petty complaint, when you are rocking out with tons of people (who are usually intoxicated), this can be a major pain. Would it kill them to have a button on there somewhere? How about you do the tamborine tap and that works as a button push? I realize that they probably didn’t want the singer to accidentally push a button while the rock it out, but can’t the button simply be deactivated once you are in game to avoid that problem?

3. Too many songs are locked when you buy the game. When you buy this game you are shelling out $200 to buy an elaborate kareoke machine. I’m not sure how many people out there are buying this for some hardcore challenge but in order to unlock all the songs you need to go through one of the campaign modes to get them all. When you get this game home you want to be able to play all the songs that are are in the disc. Having to play the same songs over and over again with you friends just so you can unlock more songs and add some variety is a joke. I’ll never listen to “Say it Ain’t So” ever again thanks to this game.

2. Some of the songs break the game.

That’s right, some of the songs are so hard that you will simply fail if they show up. For example, if you buy the Metallica pack and one of those songs shows up in a random setlist on world tour, chances are your band will be in tough. This is especially painful when you are on song 7 of an 8 song set. Where’s the fun in that?

1. The multiplayer interface will drive you insane.

Ok, this game is all about playing instruments. I understand that. Problem is, 9 times out of 10 there will be non-gamers playing Rock Band with you. When it comes to the interface that’s a huge problem. I can’t even count the number of times someone will get their turn on drums and proceed to hammer out a drum solo to warm themselves up. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to them, the pads are actually buttons too and somehow you end up backed up all the way to the main menu. Or, when you are ready to rock somebody hits the red button on the guitar as they and you have to start setting it up all over again. It’s a real problem. Why can’t 1 player have full control to set the band up? It would only take a second. If you’ve played the game at a party before, no doubt you will have experienced this. Problem is, the more you play (and you’ll play a lot) the more times it will happen to you.

That’s it. Despite these problems, Rock Band is a simply fantastic game. It brings gamers and non-gamers together in a way that few games have ever been able to before. It is the evolution of Guitar Hero and has something for everyone. If you are on the fence about this game, don’t be. These gripes are all minor (save the guitar breaking perhaps) and the core game is the definition of fun.

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Grand Theft Mario

In anticipation of the next installment of the Grand Theft Auto franchise, here is a video to remind us of why the series is so great. I’m sure it infringes on multiple copyrights, but it is very well done and captures the essence of GTA perfectly.

What do you get when you add a pinch of Mario and Luigi to a Grand Theft Auto world? That question has finally been answered.

Who You Gonna Call? Ghostbusters!

That’s right, there is a next-gen Ghostbusters game in the works. Warm up those proton accelerators and dust off your coveralls. It’s ghost-busting time.

Developed by Terminal Reality and published by Sierra, this new Ghostbusters game is definitely something to be excited about. Why? Well lets start first by saying that the games plot and script are actually penned by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. That’s right. the game is being led by the guys that wrote the first two feature films. Aykroyd has even gone on record saying that this game is essentially Ghostbusters 3. Very cool.

While very little has been confirmed, various sources have indicated that Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis will be lending their voices to the game. Unfortunately, there is no word yet on Bill Murray and whether he will be joining his ghostbusting pals in this next installment. But man would it be sweet if he was there.

Scheduled for release in September 2008, this game could be absolutely amazing. Some early videos have surfaced on YouTube like the one here and they look great. Destructible environments, great effects, and oh yeah, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man!…so check it out.

One thing’s for sure, I’ll be busting ghosts come this fall, and I know that Greg Miller over at IGN will be joining me too (I believe his quote when the game was announced was “This is the game I was put on earth to play”. You can even check out his blog and see just how excited he is!

Call of Duty 4: Top 5 Multiplayer Annoyances

Ok, so everyone knows that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is an awesome game. It continues to sell at a breakneck pace and has established one of the largest online communities since its release in November of 2007. Now that everyone has been playing online hardcore players can agree on one thing, some things in multiplayer can really piss you off.

I won’t even go into the inevitable encounters with online idiots that you are guaranteed to come across. Those would be the racists and the little kids whose voices haven’t cracked and spend most of the match squealing like spanked pigs.

This list is about in-game multiplayer annoyances and the people that use them to maximize the frustration factor for everyone else.

Without further ado…

Number 5 – Idiot reaches level 55 and decides not to enter “prestige mode”…ever

We’ve all experienced it. You get into the lobby, check the rank of everyone in the lobby and notice that 5 players are all at level 55. Ok, so they’re good. Then, you get into the match and they absolutely own you. I’m talking you die almost as instantly as you spawn. They know where you’ll be, they have insane proficiency with every weapon in the game and they let you know it. Clearly, they are “prestige mode” material. Then, after you get your ass handed to you at your meager level 30 rank, they decide to call you out for sucking. Good times. Real cool. Man up and make the game a challenge for yourself by entering “prestige mode.” Pwning noobs doesn’t prove anything to anyone. It only confirms that you are a jackass.

Number 4 – This automatic shotgun will go great with my martyrdom perk!

Again, we’ve all seen it. These players constantly sprint around the map flying into rooms with the finger on the trigger and using about as much skill as it takes to blow up a balloon. Then, when they inevitably die, they drop their grenade (thanks martyrdom perk) and hope that their “tactics” were enough to take someone with them. Bonus jackass points awarded to the players that employ this strategy in tiny maps.

Number 3 – Spawning into an air strike or helicopter attack

Ok, this one can’t be blamed on players, so much as on Infinity Ward. Yes, the attack choppers and the air strikes are a cool idea. However, where the game breaks is when you are playing in a map like “shipment” and a helicopter attack kills everyone and everything. The map is so small that you have no chance of shooting the chopper out of the air before someone else takes you out. The result, non-stop sprinting for cover until the chopper is gone. The frustration: in a map as small as “shipment” you can bet those choppers will be out for almost the entire game as elite players rack up 7 kills over and over and over. Spawning into random chopper fire “hilarity” ensues.

Number 2 – Hey, I have 3 frag grenades, I better use them all within 2 seconds of respawning

You can bet that almost as soon as players reach the level to unlock these babies they will be clipping an extra 2 frags to their belts. And why not? You can throw a grenade anywhere and some sucker almost always accidentally stumbles into it. I wish COD 4 kept stats on how you get killed. Was it a sniper rifle? Was it a handgun? Or was it another damn grenade. I spend most of my time navigating the minefield of grenades, especially in smaller maps.

Number 1 – Juggernaut, the second chance for those who can’t get the job done without it

This was easy. Who hasn’t shot a player point blank in the chest after getting the drop on them, only to have them suddenly realize you are there and somehow kill you instead. It happens every game. Its happened to me. Its happened to you. It will happen again. Juggernaut is like the perk for players that accept the fact they need need a handicap to compete online. I have simply lost count of the number of times I’ve heard players scream into their headsets when they get killed by a player with this perk. It happens every game.

Phew. Well that’s it. I know there are other things in there that annoy people so if I’ve missed your personal pet peeve let me know in the comments section.

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I’m heading back online. Because lets face it, despite these annoyances, Call of Duty 4 is damn fun. Thanks Infinity Ward!

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“Project Offset” Shows Promise

“Project Offset” is the code name for a new game being developed with a new engine (the aptly named Offset Engine) and technology. Developed by Offset Software, the game looks to be a first person shooter set in a fantasy world and features movie quality graphics and cutscenes.

Currently planned for the PC and Xbox 360 (and I hope the PS3), Project Offset first hit the web with some fancy tech demos to show off the new engine and technology. While it was well received by gamers at the time, it has since gone dark, only releasing one gameplay teaser (and even that was an accident). To see why this game is so promising, check out the videos and pics.

Here is a compilation of the amazing tech demos below. Psst, the dragon scene alone is worth it! Oh, and the Lord of the Rings music is more than appropriate.

Below are some screenshots of the game, and it is looking slick already. Notice some of the motion blur effects in some of the action shots.

Finally, check out the only gameplay video that has been released to date. Like I said, the game looks graphically amazing, and is very promising for fantasy fans. Adding a pinch of dragons never hurts either I suppose.

Though still very early, I have been following the game since the first tech demos debuted in August of 2004. If you are a fantasy fanatic, this game should be on your radar.

For more information about “Project Offset” and the Offset team, be sure to check out their website here.

Fallout 3 Will Be Game of the Year in 2008

You heard it here first. Forget about GTA IV. Forget about Gears of War 2. Forget about Metal Gear Solid 4. All of those games are going to be awesome, yes. All of those games are going to sell millions. But one game from Bethesda Softworks is going to rise to the top in 2008 and claim the crown for game of the year. That game is Fallout 3. As creators of the critically acclaimed Elder Scrolls series, Bethesda has firmly established itself as one of the leading RPG game designers on consoles.

Currently in development for the Xbox 360 and PS3, Fallout 3 is set in the United States after a nuclear war in the year 2077 kills almost everyone on the entire planet. After the nuclear fallout, only a handful of humans who took refuge in Vault 101 in Washington DC are thought to have survived. For 200 years Vault 101 has remained closed…awaiting the day when it is safe to emerge into a world that is completely decimated, and where radiation has mutated those who survived outside the safety of Vault 101.

While very little has been released to the public on this game, the buzz from review editors and industry insider’s that have had the good fortune to see the game is incredibly positive. Early word on the game also indicates that there will be 200 different endings. Whether these are true endings or slight variations on few different ones remains to be seen.

The strength of the game will no doubt come from the huge impact your character has in the world, and how it affects not only the gameplay but the story as well. For example, you may be given the opportunity to nuke a town off the map. If so, it will be gone for the rest of the game. Or, you can save it. The choice will be up to you, and the consequences will play out differently depending on your actions.

I have little doubt that the next installment of Fallout 3 is in good hands with Bethesda. They have proven themselves with Morrowind and Oblivion and are working on a project that really excites them. When the nuclear winter ends, I think that Fallout 3 will be the last game left standing and claim the crown for Game of the Year in 2008. Now lets just hope it makes its scheduled 2008 release in late fall. Only time will tell.

For now, enjoy these in-game screenshots:

If those aren’t enough, how about a little in-game teaser-trailer? Yes, it is actually IN-GAME.

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