I knew this day would come! I have always thought that one day, hotels would feature video games as part of their offerings. It is but logical – video games are not only for children but adults as well. Actually, there are already many hotels which offer video game consoles in some of their rooms, especially those catering to families.

This concept being employed by the Westin chain of hotels is somehow new though – adding Wii consoles to their hotel fitness centers. Here is more information on it:

Looking for a fun way to work out on the road?

Hotel companies across the nation are putting more money into their fitness centers as surveys show travelers are putting a high priority on them.

The folks at Westin recently added a twist to their fitness offerings: a video game. Nintendo’s Wii system, to be specific.

Last week, the hotel brand by Starwood Hotels & Resorts installed the gaming system in its fitness centers at hotels in Bellevue, Wash., and Times Square in New York as part of a pilot program.

This month, the system will be added to Westin properties at the Galleria in Houston, Kansas City, Mo., Hilton Head Island, S.C.,

St. Louis, San Francisco, Toronto, Hollywood, Calif., and Savannah, Ga.
Other locations will be added later, pending guest feedback, a spokeswoman said.

The Wii systems will be integrated into the WestinWORKOUT program and will be preloaded with several popular games.
(Opt for boxing rather than bowling if you really want to raise your heart rate.)

The systems will also incorporate the Wii Fit program, which leads users through various exercises, including yoga and strength training, and is scheduled for release May 19.

Maybe I’ll stay at a Westin hotel the next time I hit the road…

…and I’ll tell you who you are. Obviously, this is my own version of the cliché “tell me who your friends are and I’ll you who you are.” Though I believe that this cliché can be true to some extent, I am not quite sure that it applies to video games.

I am actually not the first person to think along these lines. In fact, I got the idea from Crispin Boyer who wrote an entry in his blog entitled “Do we play what we are?” He, in turn, got his inspiration from a series of essays “Are we what we play?”

It seems that more and more gamers are digging deeper into the psychology of gaming – and why not? Gaming holds more meaning than merely mashing buttons or clicking the mouse.

So, do video games reflect one’s personality? Perhaps. Our choices, when it comes to video gaming, have something to do with our interests in real life. The person who loves basketball spends time playing NBA Live. The person who loves football plays Madden. Does this mean, however, that the person who is crazy about GTA is a killer and a violent person?

I suppose it is not as clear cut as that. I have a friend who has never tried skateboarding. Yet he is addicted to Skate. Then there is another friend who has never laid a hand on any other person and is opposed to violence in principle – yet he can’t get enough of God of War.

So what’s the deal? What do you think?

Another study gives much needed support to video games. According to Carmen Russoniello, a professor at East Carolina University, video games are potentially beneficial when it comes to relieving stress and tension. Here is more information from IT World Canada:

Carmen Russoniello, a professor at East Carolina University, recently finished a six-month study of people playing Bejeweled 2, Peggle and Bookworm adventures. The study concluded the games could have “potential therapeutic applications,” according to a press release issued by PopCap games, which by sheer coincidence happens to be the developer of these three games.

The school’s department of recreational and leisure studies observed the behaviour of video game players and measured their stress, psychological tension, anger, depression, vigour, fatigue and confusion. For example, people who played Peggle experienced a 66 per cent reduction in “psychological tension” while 43 per cent of those who played Bookworm Adventures experienced a reduction in depression. Rumour has it people who reached the fourth screen in Space Invaders also experienced confusion, though that game was not included in Russoniello’s study.

It is interesting to note, however, that only specific games were covered by the study. The GTA series, which could be the most popular game franchise ever, was not included in the study.

The East Carolina University study did not include Grand Theft Auto, a game where players can pretend to be criminals taking on rival gang members and robbing banks. The game’s developer, Rock Star North, also makes Bully and Manhunt.

Oh well, it is a start, isn’t it?

I downloaded a new demo from the PlayStation Store last weekend and got a few surprises. Talk about Echo Chrome has been circulating for quite some time now but it was not until I tried it for myself that I was able to appreciate the game. Echo Chrome is so simple when it comes to graphics. It is like comparing a child’s art doodles to a masterpiece by Picasso.

Yet it delivers a different kind of gaming experience. Imagine black and white drawings (simplistic drawings – lines and curves) in 3D. That’s it! The beauty of the game lies in the 5 different laws that apply to the world of Echo Chrome. At the beginning of the demo, you are introduced to the 5 different perspectives – I forgot what they all are (too lazy to turn the PS 3 on as I write). You have to remember these perspectives in order to succeed at the game, though.

The challenge is in you, the player, being able to manipulate the environment so as to utilize the different perspectives and guide your character through the pathways in the game. The game seems easy and simple enough – until you actually try it. I think the graphics and the simplistic explanation of the perspectives are cunningly deceptive. They give you this false sense of belief that everything is easy. Trust me, it is not – and that is the fun of it!

The game will be released for the PS3 and the PSP.

Or is it the other way around? Lego plays Batman? It doesn’t really matter, does it? What matters is that we can all be playing Lego Batman pretty soon. If you are at a loss as to what I am talking about, go back a couple of years and try to recall the Star Wars game wherein the characters were made out of Lego. It was pretty cool actually. When I first heard about it, I honestly had misgivings. I thought that it was going to be lame. As it turned out, I was wrong.

I have not seen demos of Lego Batman yet but if the Star Wars Lego is anything to go by, then this game should be just as fun. According to Alice Liang over at 1UP:

But basics aside, the dark and detailed cityscape isn’t the only thing that sets this apart from its Jedi predecessors. The fan-servicing Villain Mode allows players to run rampant in Gotham’s streets as notorious menaces like Catwoman, Joker, and Scarecrow, each with their own special abilities.

She expounds on more details:

But developer Traveller’s Tales isn’t going to let the bad guys have all of the fun. The Dynamic Duo has its own tricks: special suits. Like Batman and Robin’s gadget-filled belts, the suits allow them to do some amazingly useful things. In his Glide suit, Batman can cross long gaps, and, as you’d expect, with the help of hot air or steam vents, he can reach even longer distances and greater heights. The Sonic suit, which has the Caped Crusader holding what looks like a black bullhorn, sends out strong sonic waves that can shatter obstacles made from blue glass Lego pieces. And, of course, Batman has to have his explosives. With the Demolition suit, he can set and ignite Bat Bombs to blow up Lego objects.

This is all the information they have for now but the screenshots look pretty good. I wonder if I can get my hands on a demo version anytime soon?

We’ve always known that GTA IV would create a lot of noise and the nearer the release date is, the louder the noise will get. I know I shouldn’t have been surprised when I read several blogs announcing a pirated version GTA IV being released. Kotaku excitedly announces:

At around 11:50am Greenwich Mean Time, the PAL version of Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360 was ripped and leaked to various torrent sites by a ground called iCON. This would of course enable burning a copy for the home console. Meanwhile, the NTSC version is expected within the next 48 hours. YouTube clips have been popping up online of the game’s opening and early missions — but as of posting, many of the clips have been taken down. The retail release is a mere six days away. This isn’t the first GTA game leaked as San Andreas was as well. And it was leaked a week before, too.
We haven’t verified whether the 6.32 GB file really is the full game, but there are plenty of listings on torrent sites now and we contacted Rockstar for comment.

Can’t wait to see what Rockstar will say – not that I can make any use of the version as I don’t have an Xbox 360.

Another piece of news to make waves comes from Amazon, which just released the revealed the soundtrack for the game. News For Gamers lists the tunes down:

Soviet Connection (Theme from GTA IV) by Michael Hunter
Dirty New Yorker by Mobb Deep (feat. Havoc & Prodigy)
No Sex for Ben by The Rapture
No Fraid A by Munga
Where’s My Money by Busta Rhymes
I Want You by C.J.
Rocky Mountain Way by Joe Walsh
Stand Up Jamrock by Bob Marley & The Wailers and Damian Marley
Liberty City: The Invasion by Seryoga
Vagabond by Greenskeepers
On a Journey by Electrik Funk
Nickname by Qadir
Holy Thursday by David Axelrod
War is Necessary by Nas
Zombie by Fela Kuti
5:23 (Maiden Voyage) by Global Communication

A few more days to go…

This piece of news just frustrates me! I first heard of it through Bloggey Kong and the title “Afghanistan May Ban Video Games” already got me going. When I found the link to the actual news article, believe me, my blood pressure went up!

First of all, I distinctly remember several years ago, reading about Afghans being so thankful and happy that they could finally listen to music. I can’t imagine life without music. The Afghans, during the Taliban reign, were forbidden this small thing. After the Taliban was taken down, their eyes were opened to what the rest of the world took for granted.

And now, the very same Afghans who were “liberated” from Taliban rule, are putting in place legislation that is reminiscent of what used to oppress them. I apologize if this is sounding to be a political rant – let me get back to the point. This legislation, if passed, could also ban video games from the country.

Here’s an excerpt of the article published on Pakistan Daily Times:

All I can say is that I am confused and pity the countless Afghans who consider video games as their hobby.

Only a few more weeks and GTA IV will finally be out! I am sure that countless gamers all over the world are impatiently waiting for the day that they can get their hands on the first copies of the latest in one of the greatest game franchises in the history of video gaming.

Well, here is something more to whet GTA enthusiasts’ appetites – the GTA Social Club. What is this all about? It is basically an online home to anyone who plays GTA. Here’s more information from Gaming Bits:

Grand Theft Auto IV has gone gold for the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 . Take-Two CEO’s Ben Feder said GTA IV is “in production and in trucks en route to retailers” during Take-Two’s shareholders’ meeting. We’ll see how tightly retailers can keep the game under wraps. I wouldn’t be surprised that random leaks and early eBay auctions surface.

In addition to GTA IV going gold, the Rockstar Games Social Club has launched and is now taking early registrations. There’s a nice giveaway sweepstakes contest if you register before GTA IV’s release.

From the Social Club: “The Rockstar Games Social Club is now open for pre-registration. This is a members-only destination for leaderboards, statistics, tournaments, ongoing special competitions, virtual events and more for Rockstar titles beginning with the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV on April 29th. Register your membership now to set up your profile and ensure that you will be able to check your stats and participate on day one of game release.”

Register on the Social Club website before the release of GTA IV (4/29/08) and you’ll be entered for a chance to have your portrait illustrated by Rockstar Games in “Grand Theft Auto style.” One Grand Prize Winner will be selected.

I scrambled to pre-register in the hopes that I would be one of the first to do so. Unfortunately, I was way up in the 20 something thousand…still, I have the chance to get my portrait drawn!

I never thought I would see this day – I was wrong. It seems that video games are becoming that prevalent that real life rock bands are seeing them as a good venue for releasing their singles. Well, at least one specific video game – Rock Band. I remember way back in the day when radio was the main means of releasing songs. Not anymore!

In an unprecedented move, rock icon Motley Crue is set to release their newest single “Saints of Los Angeles” through the video game Rock Band. This single is available for download through Xbox Live or the PlayStation Store. Of course, it isn’t for free, but the price is quite reasonable at 99 cents.

Motley Crue is not the only band that is going down this path. Def Leppard, another 80s favorite, is set to release their new single entitled “Nine Lives.” The band, however, chose another video game for their venue. Guitar Hero III enthusiasts will be able to download this latest single from Xbox Live on April 24 and from the PlayStation Store on May 8.

But wait – there’s more! There are rumors going around that Metallica has something in the works for Rock Band as well. Though nothing has been substantiated as of yet, it seems that the band just might release their new single through Rock Band as well.

I don’t know about you, but I think that this is quite revolutionary and presents a lot of exciting possibilities for musicians and their fans.

These words always make me perk up in anticipation – undocumented, PS3, and unveiled. Put together, they simply mean that there is something new and exciting that I can do with my PS3, right? Well, let’s say almost always. In this case, I was a bit disappointed when I read the post in PS3 Vault – the title held so much potential!

So what is it all about?

Apparently, someone has discovered a way to blow out the dust that tends to accumulate inside the PS3 casing and the fan. If you do this, you just might extend your PS3’s life – if only because you have removed all the accumulated dust inside. Another perk – well, it depends on your perspective, really – is that you can make your PS3 sound like an Xbox360. (Really now, though, who would want that?;))

Anyhow, here is the video that is being circulated on YouTube. Oh, by the way, this only works for the 40GB version and not on anything else.