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Apr202015

#9 Greatest Video Game of All Time

Striving into the top 10–we arrive at #9! If you have no clue what this post is about, please read here. And if you missed the other on our countdown, please check them out: #25, #24,#23, #22, #21,#20, #19, #18, #17, #16, #15, #14, #13, #12, #11, and #10. This list was created by the video game brain trust–please enjoy!  

#9 Greatest Video Game of All Time

Kai – Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight – Coming out in 1997, Jedi Knight was a revolutionary shooter that took the Dark Forces world and applied the lessons that Quake had brought to the FPS scene.  It created a real world within the Star Wars universe with evil Sith, hapless stormtroopers, and lots of drama.  Mysteries of the Sith (an expansion) came along and really filled in the detail, with extraordinary level design.

Even better than that, it had great multiplayer (played on the Internet Gaming Zone, Microsoft’s foray into online gaming).  Only 4 players could play at a time and there were lots of hackers, but it was my formative online gaming experience, and was really a lot of fun.
 
The game has not aged well and there are few benefits of playing it today (other than seeing the laughable live action cutscenes).  If you want to play similar game today, I’d recommend the sequel Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast.
 
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Apr082015

#10 Greatest Video Game of All Time

We’ve finally cracked the Top 10 of our 25 Greatest Video Games of All Time list! How exciting! This list comprises all of our favorite games from 5 different people with different backgrounds. If you are unfamiliar with this list, then check the following out:  #25, #24,#23, #22, #21, #20, #19, #18, #17, #16, #15, #14, #13, #12, and #11. Let the top ten start…now!

Kai – The Secret of Monkey Island: Monkey Island – Monkey Island is hilarious.  Ron Gilbert and Tim Schafer created a world that is a parody of every pirate movie ever made.  As the best game released during the “golden age” of (now defunkt) LucasArts’ point and click adventures, Monkey Island is a perfect representation of the fun, laid back attitude of those SCUMM-based games.  

In terms of gameplay, you have a set of adjectives you can apply to the environment and anything you pick up along the way.  It’s a puzzle/exploration game that forces you to try and think logically about the world and come up with interesting solutions.  
 
It has a great theme as well, with wonderful writing and expressive 2D pixel art.  Maybe it’s because of when I played it (I was 9 or 10), but the game is iconic in a way that few games have replicated.  So many distinct images and moments stick with me from it.  Each character made an impression, despite being a collection of pixels and a few written sentences.  
 
If you’re looking to spend a week in a hilarious pirate adventure I can’t recommend Monkey Island highly enough.
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Mar302015

#11 Greatest Video Game of All Time

We apologize for the huge lack of posts this last week, but we are ramped up and ready to go now! In comes #11 of the Greatest Video Game of All Time! If you are unfamiliar with this list, then check the following out:  #25, #24,#23, #22, #21, #20, #19, #18, #17, #16, #15, #14, #13, and #12. Enjoy #11! 

Kai – SimCity Series – For those few of you who haven’t heard of it, SimCity is the city-building game by Maxis that started the entire “Sim” franchise.  I played the original in elementary school (patiently waiting my turn as my school only had a couple Macs).  It was simple but straightforward. As mayor, you zoned the city and managed police, fire, education, and tax revenue.

The next game of the series was the amazing SimCity 2000, which switched the perspective from top-down 2D to isometric and really expanded the depth of the game.  It added city advisors, alien attacks, scenarios, and new city services.  

Several iterations followed, culminating with SimCity 4 (released in 2003).  EA and Maxis followed that with SimCity (2013) which basically killed the franchise due to bugs and a very small city size.  Since then Cities: Skylines has admirably taken up the mantle and made a city-building game worth playing.

I can’t recommend any of the previous games over Cities: Skylines, but they’ve provided awesome memories and created an entire genre of nonviolent, creative games.

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Mar172015

#12 Greatest Video Game of All Time

I know we are one day late, but hey, we are still in the same week! Three weeks in a row–yes!! This countdown is on a roll and dangerously close to the top 10. As a refresher, this is the video game brain trust’s list of the top 25 greatest video games of all time and we are now down to #12! These are the ones you’ve missed so  far: #25, #24,#23, #22, #21, #20, #19, #18, #17, #16, #15, #14, and #13. 

Kai – Master of Orion II – In my opinion, Masters of Orion II is the best space-based 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate) ever made.  I love science fiction and this game really makes you feel like you’re running an alien empire, but doesn’t overwhelm you with options.  There’s lore, multiple victory conditions, colonization, building, and space battles.  You design your ships, decide which technologies to research, and can even create your own alien species.

It’s a turn-based game like Civilization and definitely shares that “one more turn” compulsion.  It still holds up today as nothing in the genre has really come close (the sequel was probably the most disappointing game of all time for me).  If you’re looking to conquer the galaxy in an afternoon, I can’t recommend anything other than Masters of Orion II.

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Mar092015

#13 Greatest Video Game of All Time

Look at us, we’re on a roll! One week back to back already! Let’s see if we can keep this up. As a refresher, this is the video game brain trust’s list of the top 25 greatest video games of all time and we are now down to #13! These are the ones you’ve missed so  far: #25, #24,#23, #22, #21, #20 #19, #18, #17, #16, #15, and #14. Let’s hit it.

Kai – Goldeneye 007 – The only game on this list that I never actually owned (no N64), Goldeneye is an amazing game that I played at every one of my friends’ houses.  It’s a first-person shooter based on the Bond movie and is one of the best movie to game conversions ever made.

The single-player is really well done, with complex level design and objectives that scale with difficulty.  As good as that was, the multiplayer was even better, with insane tension and battles.  I’ve never played more splitscreen multiplayer of anything, even Mario Kart.  My friends and I would always load up license to kill (one-shot kills) and proximity mines.  It truly revolutionized multiplayer shooters going forward and is still a lot of fun.
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Mar022015

#14 Greatest Video Game of All Time

Yet, again, there has been a big gap between this series! We apologize, as sometimes it takes a bit to get everyone’s entries in. If you are new to this countdown, it’s just a top 25 list of our most favorite video games!  These are the ones you’ve missed so  far: #25, #24,#23, #22, #21, #20 #19, #18, #17, #16, and #15. Let’s dive into #14!

Kai – X-COM – I’ve played three versions of X-COM: The original, X-COM UFO Defense, the third version X-COM Apocalypse, and the latest offering from Firaxis XCOM: Enemy Unknown/Within.  The original was revolutionary in scope, with everything from morale to technology research, and still holds up very well today.  

X-Com is half real-time strategic base management and half turn-based top-down tactical squad management.  The basic story is that aliens are real and are terrorizing human cities.  You’re put in charge of defending earth from this alien threat.

During the base management phase, you train/recruit soldiers, build weapons/vehicles, dispatch people on missions, and research alien artifacts to get new technology.  When a mission happens, it switches to the tactical mode, where you explore alien wrecks, kill/capture alien soldiers, and rescue civilians.

The games are difficult but addictive, enticing you to complete just one more mission with your squad of veteran troops.  You care deeply about your veteran soldiers as you’ve played with them for multiple hours and it’s very painful to lose one (or a whole shipful).  The theme is well-integrated and the gameplay is very tight, where every action you take is meaningful and possibly dangerous.  If you’re looking to blow an afternoon tracking down aliens and defending earth, I highly recommend picking up something from the X-COM series.

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Dec112014

Who is Team Botan? Cafe Go-Go App Review

The last thing the world needs is one more app like every other. How many times have you heard yourself saying “if I get one more Candy Crush invite I swear I’m going to…” Nevertheless, we can’t help but check the app store, see what’s new, what’s cool, and what’s fun. Today, there is a new kid on the block that is looking to make its own unique impact on the market. It’s bringing back the enjoyment factor, but instead of telling you about it from our point of view… here’s one of the founding members and a Producer of Team Botan, Scott Polhemus (part of our video game brain trust), in an EXCLUSIVE Hungry & Fit interview!

First, a brief word about the game. Cafe Go-Go is a brand new app/game where the user plays as a worker taking orders at a cafe. As the orders come in, the barista must press the corresponding pictures for the items in the proper order. The faster you put a complete and accurate order in, the more points you get. It’s a game that is all about reaction time, hand-eye coordination, and focusing. 

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Hungry: We downloaded Cafe Go-Go and played it for a bit. It’s a fun game that’s easy to pick up and play. What were you trying to achieve by creating this app?
 
Scott: Our hope was to produce an original game based on the classic, coin-op arcade games we grew up loving. We wanted it to have a charming, retro look — and for the gameplay to be simple & accessible so anyone could pick up and play while on-the-go (or killing time on a train or in line).
 
Hungry: What exactly makes Cafe Go-Go different from the million others apps on the market?
 
Scott: Well, for starters, we didn’t build it to fulfill some sort of licensing gimmick or “sequelitis” sort of situation. Simply, three of us came together and felt it’d be cool if we could put a game together. After a few months of crazed development, we actually succeeded and released Cafe Go-Go.
 
So, what makes it different? Well, sure, we want it to sell, because it would be amazing if we could do this full-time (we all work day jobs, and this was sort of a moonlit labor of love)…but, we weren’t too keen on the philosophy of “pump-out-n-profit” that a significant number of apps these days adhere to. So, we tried our best to create a game with a charming atmosphere, and a healthy dose of challenge tossed in. 
 
It’s our take on an age-old gaming concept, the ol’ time-based puzzler. We believe its worth & value are immediately apparent from its careful sprite-work to the featured SFX and music produced by our friend, Jack Vanoudenaren (better known as ABSRDST). Simply, that it’s a labor of love from three friends — and we hope the rest of the world shares in the fun.
 
Hungry: As Hungry & Fit, we’re always focused on the health benefits of activities. What does Cafe Go-Go contribute to a healthier lifestyle?
 
Scott: If you boot up a quick round of Cafe Go-Go right after waking, it’s a sure-fire way to get your brain going. Of course, no game can compete with the health benefits of going for a run outside, but if you can keep a round of Cafe Go-Go going for over 15 minutes, you’re sure to challenge your mental stamina, as well as your heart rate. Granted, I might just be an out-of-shape fatboy, but, I’ve played a couple rounds that lasted over an hour, and I’d managed to work up a sweat and profound thirst. That was probably the nerdiest sentence I’ve ever said.
 
Hungry: It seems like a good way to pass time while on a piece of cardio equipment. How much mental stimulation does it offer?
 
Scott: When you really start rolling, and string orders together in rapid succession, you can feel your concentration reaching higher levels, and before long your fingers work in tandem with the order commands your eyes perceive. Throw in the tip & time bonuses that float across the screen every so often, and you add a whole new layer of concentration and adaptability that challenges the mind.
 
Hungry: What can we expect next from the company that brought us Cafe Go-Go?
 
Scott: We’ve got a few projects in the tank currently. One won’t see the light of day until we (hopefully) secure serious funding. The other two, well, it’ll come down to what Team Botan’s brainchild (and programmer extraordinaire), Anthony Delia, feels like tackling first. He’s been storyboarding an idea recently, which I already believe should be our next baby.
 
Frankly, we just hope to make games with a fine blend of challenge & charm. 
The kind of games that’ll have you sometimes gritting your teeth, but always smiling.
 
Hungry: If Hungry & Fit decided to make an app, would Team Botan be up for the challenge?
 
Scott: Of course! But, you better find your way to the top of our Leader Boards for Cafe Go-Go! 
 
Right now, the score to beat is: 32,242,000
 
Think you can beat it?
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And there you have it! Team Botan is to the point and looking to bring something new without breaking your bank account! No tricks, no schemes… just fun from some guys that obviously do this out of a love for gaming, not profiting. Still, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind making some money to help fund their newest projects in development that Scott gave us a heads up into! You can check them out on Twitter or purchase the Cafe Go-Go app in the app store! 
 
And let us know what kind of app you’d want to see from Hungry & Fit? Exercise routines for different populations? Nutritional plans? Comment below! And as always..stay hungry and fit! 
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Nov242014

#16 Greatest Video Game of All Time

We apologize for the short break in between our countdown, but we just had to post about the huge video game releases last week! And yes we’ve been playing Dragon Age Inquisiton non-stop since then. We are now back and at ’em with #16 Greatest Video Game of All Time brought to you by the video game brain trust. If you aren’t familiar with this countdown, it’s basically a top 25 list of our most favorite video games! Check back to see the ones you’ve missed so far: #25, #24, #23, #22, #21, #20 #19, #18, and #17. As in Mario’s style, here we gOOooooo! 

Kai – Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear- Rainbow Six is a tactical shooter FPS, a much more realistic FPS than games like Half-life or Doom.  You play as the leader of a top-secret international anti-terrorism force.  The first part of the mission is planning, where you decide exactly which of your personnel are joining you on your mission and how exactly they’ll be deployed and move during the mission.  Then you (attempt to) execute your plan, where anything that can go wrong often will.

The gameplay is very rapid and dangerous, with one or two shots disabling or killing enemies or friendlies.  The engine doesn’t really hold up to modern standards, but I had a great time sniping, clearing doors, and coordinating different teams to execute the mission plan.  It’s one of the few games I’ve beat on multiple difficulty levels, although I haven’t tried any of the newer editions.  I really enjoyed Rainbow Six’s realism and it still shines through today.
 
 
Po – Gunstar Heroes – Look no further for epic co-op action. Great for drinking. Great for hangovers. A collegiate classic.
 
 
Andrew- Fable (series) – Fable is kind of looked down on for not delivering as much as it promised, but it still succeeded in giving the illusion of free design. The original game touted the idea that you’d be able to watch any tree grow from a sapling into a beautiful full tree and that you’d be able to have children and have them aid you/possibly carry on the quest…some of those things (it was the tree one) was answered finally in the 3rd game when you were able to chose how to condemn or save certain areas.  Regardless of that, the first game had the best feel to it and maintained an almost Legend of Zelda meets Quest 64 feel to it. The music for the entire series was stunning, the upgrade system was balanced, but there was no difficulty to the game at all. When it came out I had friends who were dying/struggling at certain parts and I just responded with “you can die?”. I haven’t played the newest Kinect equipped one on Xbox 360 and don’t intend on playing on future ones in the series because I think that co-op is too far a departure for the series and that it should go back to its roots. The 2nd and 3rd games were not necessarily anything special (great storylines – sacrifice being a general theme in the series) but they all utilized choice and passage of time to make the player feel like their choices had even bigger impacts than single lives.    
 
 
Fit – Indiana Jones (LucasArts old series) — Ahh, the memories! You’re going to see many LucasArts games on my list (and already have), and this is one of them. LucasArts just has absolutely spot-on writing and is just so darn funny.  I’m not talking about the newer series with nicer graphics, I’m talking old school. Again, the memories playing with my brother are what brings this game to #16 for me. It comes all down to a deep mind and a sharp eye with this game. These Indiana Jones games were not easy. However, they were full of humor (“Don’t ask”) that made us chuckle along with its awful graphics. 
 
I think what made this game great for us was the depth of the game. You could play this game for hours and hours, trying to solve puzzles and mysteries in order to move the plot along. For such an old game, it was absolutely captivating and tons of fun. It was also great for the mind. You really had to put two and two together and be creative to make things work. I love that there were many different options, that you had the ability to put stuff in your inventory together, and that it wasn’t just a mindless computer game. I still look on to this game with a great fondness and I wonder if my brother would be down to do another play-through with me like old times. 
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Hungry- Dragon Age: Origins (PC) – What perfect timing! Dragon Age Inquisition was just released, I’m a solid twenty hours into it, and Origins jumps onto the list. I already know that I won’t like Inquisition as much as 2, which I didn’t like as much as Origins. It was the first game in the series, but the most complete for me. The story was amazing, the characters were extremely well-developed, it had tons of choices but kept you focused on your quests, and the controls were more than adequate. The Hero of Ferelden, the Gray Warden Commander, will always be Thedas’ greatest hero in my book. The DLCs were great and created MY perfect ending, while leaving a HUGE sequel opportunity open. I can’t say enough about this game and I liked it so much more than the others, which I also really enjoy (top 50 for sure), that it made my enter it on the list as a non-series entry, but rather by the lone game. Those characters, those romances, all those options!
 
 
That brings us to #15 for next time! I can’t believe we are ten down already. I’m always interested to see what everyone puts down and also what you guys think as well! Feel free to comment below. As always…stay hungry and fit!
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Nov172014

Dragon Age: Inquisition, Pokemon: Sapphire Release and MORE!

We planned on releasing everyone in the Video Game Brain Trust’s sixteenth favorite game of all time. That is, of course, until we took a day off from working and realized what is happening this week. We’ve been working so much lately that we lost track of time and video game release dates. BUT this week is HUGE. I can’t remember a release date this huge in terms of multiple solid releases, as opposed to one or two blockbusters. So, without any delay, here is what we are excited for this week. 

1. Dragon Age Inquisition: Fit has every game in the series and DLC for PC. Hungry has all of the above for PS3. We have both completed every part of the series so far and are absolutely in love with Bioware‘s RPGs. We’ve been waiting for this release for years and despite some unfortunate news of things that will NOT be included in this version, and the main character, we can’t wait to put at least eighty hours into this in the first month of release. We’ll be getting it on PC the moment it is released when the clock turns Tuesday. (Pre-ordered and instant download.)

2. Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor: Yes, I know it was released weeks ago BUT not for PS3 and Hungry loves his PS3. He looks forward to getting it immediately and running through the PS3 version. Another Tuesday release that will most likely be picked up Target on Tuesday. 

3. Pokemon Alpha Sapphire: Sorry Omega Red, but Hungry plays favorites and chose Blue in 1995 so you had little to no chance. Anything on the 3DS is a win-win since it can be played anywhere. I love portable gaming, especially with a few flights and long car rides coming up for Thanksgiving travel. Perfect timing Nintendo. After being at Target before the doors opened for the release of Black 2 in 2012 and X in 2013, you know where I will be Friday morning.

4. Grand Theft Auto V: Again, we all know that this game was release years ago, BUT not on the newest generation of consoles. Everyone is looking forward to replaying it with smoother controls, faster speed, and cleaner graphics. Not to mention the effects that the Dualshock 4 will have on it, as Sony has boasted about recently. Another Tuesday release that will sell plenty.

5. Super Smash Bros: I sound like a broken record but for anyone that doesn’t own a 3DS or enjoy handheld gaming, the release on Wii U will be huge… for anyone with a Wii U. Super Smash has been one of the most popular series in gaming since its initial launch on N64 and any addition or release on a new platform will make an impact in competitive gaming and Nintendo’s standing in the industry. Buy it on Friday.

6. Far Cry 4: I know what you’re thinking, how did this fall so far down the list? Well, honestly, we aren’t big on Far Cry but we know that a lot of you are and while we won’t be getting this one, watch positive reviews pour in as sales numbers grow rapidly. Tuesday for anyone interested in an amazing new first person shooter.

7. LittleBigPlanet 3: Another one that doesn’t mean a whole lot for us, but is probably one of the best releases of the week. Available for PS3 and PS4, all DLCs from the first two games are transferable and this game will be the first in the series with live voice actors. Available on Tuesday, this entry will surely be well received by critics and hopefully by fans as well.

8. Escape Dead Island: The first Dead Island spin-off, releasing on PS3 and 360, this game will be far from the original. The beta was not too well received but the ability to unravel the origin of the zombie outbreak will have fans of the series playing through to find out exactly what happened. It’s a release worth mentioning. 

9. WWE 2K15:  Already released for PS3 and 360, there’s nothing special about the new generation release of this annual wrestling institution. With a large number of match types missing, that were available in past versions, this game isn’t the most popular in the series. Still, die-hard professional wrestling fans with PS4 and One will be sure to pick this one up for the cleaner graphics. Not the most exciting, but good to know about for some.

10. Watch Dogs: It was one of the most loved games by the video gaming fan community in recent years. Now you can play it on Wii U. It’s not revolutionary to the industry, but this is a big deal to some people who never got to experience it.

No offense to anything that didn’t make the cut, but I wanted to keep it to 10. Try not to rip me apart fans of Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F 2nd. The first release for PS3 was definitely a great addition to the music and rhythm genre, but this applies to a very small demographic. As always, stay hungry and fit!

*Question of the Day: Which of these games are YOU most excited about?

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