Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight and I, @zombiepie, am once again honored to be your host this week! Well the doldrums of Summer are officially here as the "Summer Game Drought" strikes again! For those of you that missed the announcements during the 7/1/2016 UPF the site will be running a bit of a skeleton crew this week due to multiple staff going on vacation. Rorie, Drew, and Jason will all be going on trips this week. Giant Bomb East will also be taking a sabbatical in that they will produce a Beastcast, and then proceeding to take a wonderful break. That aside the community has been up to wonderful things so let's drive right into the housekeeping!
- Jeff actually compiled a list of the "Most Visited Wiki Pages on Giant Bomb," the results are simultaneously surprising and expected.
- Some users have reported receiving warnings when trying to access the Giant Bomb Twitter Feed. Please drop a comment in the previous link if that includes you.
Clip(s) of the Week
Frank Howarth, My Sister, And A Giant Bomb (By: Rainfall Projects)
This video is downright touching and is the video to watch if you only can watch one! Learn all about the heartwarming tale of a humble man trying to pay tribute to his family and Giant Bomb in the form of signs.
VinnyVania: Bloodlines All Deaths Supercut (By: @mepsipax)
Mepsipax heard your demands, so here's a supercut of every single one of Vinny's deaths in Castlevania: Bloodlines!
Giant Bomb Roundabout Video of the Week (By: @grulet)
It's the meme that just refuses to die! If you ever wanted to watch a Roundabout x Giant Bomb video that ends with Ryan shouting "NOOOOOOOO!" here you go!
Giant Bomb Galleria
Banner -Scorpio Ryckert v1 (By: @johnymyko)
User JohnyMyko whipped up a few quick illustrations of Dan's latest persona, "Scorpio Ryckert" that you can marvel over and praise!
Cicis Pizza Metts Dan Ryckert (By: Dean Bowling)
Inspired by the Bombcast conversation about pizza buffets, Dean Bowling on Twitter envisioned Dan as Cicis Pizza’s next spokesperson!
Vintage Mario Party Ad, Featuring The GB Cew (By: @thegrumpskin)
Giant Bomb user thegrumpskin went and photoshopped an old magazine advertisement for the ORIGINAL Mario Party game to include the staff. Look at how enthusiastic everyone looks!
Community Activities
Summer Games Done Quick 2016 July 3-9th (By: @demoskinos)
Summer Games Done Quick is HERE! Help out the Community Group to raise money for charity!
Marvel Future Fight Community Alliance (By: @mvp1101)
We now have a Giant Bomb community alliance for Marvel Future Fight that you can join right now!
Best of Blogs
Control Freak - An Essay About Control, Hamlet, And Video Games (By: @aiomon)
aiomon wrote an essay about Hamlet (by Shakespeare) and how it, paired with video games, show that having control over your own fate is the single most important thing to a human.
The Launch Dilemma of Zero Time Dilemma (By: @cav829)
Cav829 gives you a play-by-play breakdown of Zero Time Dilemma's troubled launch, and the poor impression that it makes for the game, on his latest blog.
Ratchet & Clank & Doom & More (By: @mooseymcman)
E3 2016 as well as Ratchet & Clank dominate MooseyMcMan's extensive write up on the week that was.
Wiki Project: Summer Games Wiki'd Quick 2016& Sunday Summaries 26/06/2016: Dreamfall Chapters & Tales of Xillia (By: @mento)
Moderator Mento is getting ready for Summer the only way he knows, by starting and completing a new Wiki Project! Read all about the sanity-reducing affair to get all of SGDQ 2016's games on the wiki! Mento is also back with a new Sunday Summary on his great activities on the GB wiki, and personal gaming catalog.
Now Playing: House of the Dying Sun (By: @xxizzypop)
xxizzypop recently picked up the early access game, House of the Dying Sun, and shares his experiences with it on his detailed blog post about the game.
My Favorite Game Showings From E3 2016! (By: @y2ken)
Y2Ken wrote a blog on the ten games from E3 2016 he's most excited to eventually play in person, and welcomes you to join him.
0.216 Years of Solitude: Thoughts on Firewatch & On Backlogs, Blindspots, and Gaming Shame (By: @darth_navster)
If you don't mind spoilers check out Darth_Navster's fantasticly exhaustive blog about Firewatch and its depiction of isolation. Darth_Navster also spins the long tale of his gaming backlog, as well as how he plans on dealing with it.
A Personal Video Game Retrospective (1986- 2015) 2013 (By: @riostarwind)
riostarwind takes you back to 2013 on his latest personal retrospective blog post on his gaming through the years.
Metroid and Me, Part 2: Into the Green World (By: @majormitch)
MajorMitch's second retrospective blog on the Metroid series explores its longstanding relationship with adventure, and why it is a critical part to his enjoyment of the series.
Pocket Card Jockey: Long Term Game Forcing Short Term Pain (By: @ewansuttie)
EwanSuttie talks about the inherent joys and pains he experienced while playing Pocket Card Jockey obsessively over the last month.
Six Of One, No Time For Another Half-Dozen (By: @bdhurkett)
bdhurkett shares his quest to uninstall games on his harddrive that he knows he'll never play. The struggle is real.
Mixing Drinks and Changing Lives in Valhalla (By: @donchipotle)
DonChipotle shares what he believes is the main appeal of VA-11 Hall-A for him, as well as the majesty of simplicity, on his latest blog over here.
Fighting Final Fantasy VII - Parts 65-89: The Game Tried and Failed to Make Me Cry...Am I the Real Villain? (By: @zombiepie)
Here's a twenty seven page essay on the ending to Disc One of Final Fantasy VII...only a crazy person would read it. This is clearly a call for help by the author.
Join the Discussion
Overwatch Ranked Mode Discussion Thread (By: @adequatelyprepared)
How has Overwatch's new and shiny Ranked Mode been treating you? Share your experiences with it, both good and bad, over here!
Inside Theory Sharing and Story Discussion [SPOILERS] (By: @kreeztoff)
What are your theories and major takeaways from Inside? Feel free to share them on our community SPOILER discussion thread for the game.
The Inside Help Thread (By: @thelastgunslinger)
Speaking of Inside, and it's a bit of a "cop out," but we do have a puzzle help thread for the game. Ask for help on any puzzles that have you absolutely stumped.
SMT And Fire Emblem Fans: Are You Happy With Mirage Sessions? (By: @beforet)
So Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem fans, how are you liking Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE? Join the community discussion on whether or not the game honors both of its influences.
Tokyo Mirage Sessions Tips, Tricks, and Questions Thread (By: @quid_pro_bono)
By the way, if you have been playing Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE please join our community "Tips, Tricks, and Questions Thread!" Feel free to yelp for help, or provide assistance to desperate users.
System Shock Remaster Kickstarter Discussion Thread (By: @arbitrarywater)
What is your gut reaction to the System Shock 1 Kickstarter? Is this a great way to rejuvenate the franchise, or are backers doomed for disappointment?
Asemblance Discussion Thread (By: @elixirbronze)
Have any of you purchased and played Asemblance? Join our community discussion for the game over here.
Useful User Reviews
- @lazyaza shares why he thought that the 2016 Ratchet & Clank game felt like a well done remake on his review.
- @lazyaza also shares his conflicted, and not overall positive, feelings towards Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.
- @joe_mccallister assessment of The Technomancer reviews why he found it to be an entirely acceptable mid-tier game
- @perfidioussinn was less enthused with Mirror's Edge Catalyst than he wanted to be, thanks to a handful of nagging issues.
- @stordoff was summarily disappointed with Zero Time Dilemma from beginning to end, and you can read why on his review.
- @aiomon finally decided to give The Elder Scrolls Online a shot! Read about his surprisingly positive impressions of it on his review
Wonderful Wikis
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
Learn more about everyone's favorite robot beverage serving simulator...wait what?
The Technomancer recently came out and you can learn more about it mechanics and gameplay on our wiki page for the game.
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