Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight, and I, @zombiepie am once again honored to be your host as we look back on the best community creations the past two weeks. It feels odd saying that last bit, but I did indeed find myself unable to publish a Spotlight last week, but that means we have double the content we normally would have for this week! As we have a lot to review this week, let's jump right into it!
- It got somewhat lost in the mix the past two weeks, but Giant Bomb celebrated its 12th anniversary!
- Speaking of anniversaries, The Hotspot is 15 years old! Check out this screencap Rich Gallup pulled from the Internet Wayback Machine!
- Grant Imahara's death touched a number of Giant Bomb users and if you have not done so already, you can join the rest of the community in paying your respects to the man and his legacy.
- The old Giant Bomb Dad Hat design has sold out, but disappointed users should know that the interlocking version of the 2020 Dad Hat is still available for $30 plus shipping and handling.
- Calling all non-North American Giant Bomb users! Mr. Rorie is trying to gauge interest in streams better aligned to European timezones. Are there any games in particular you'd like to watch? Use the link to share your input!
Tweets
Bonjour ! Je suis mauvais Français ! J’essaie d’apprendre.
— Français Abby Russell (@FrancaisAbby) July 23, 2020
With mixer shutting down I think the responsible thing to do is to bring all this fun and useful functionality to the @giantbomb chat pic.twitter.com/fMfOUvrn2b
— Will Carle (@Will_Carle) July 23, 2020
🤷♂️ @bradshoemaker @giantbomb pic.twitter.com/rhvYonG7e1
— Matt D. Crane @ 🏠 (@realmacrane) July 14, 2020
We got lost in the Obi-Wan Action Cam, you understand.
— Giant Bomb Out of Context (@giantbomb_ooc) July 13, 2020
- Jeff Gerstmann, 2020
Some wiki stats from 6 weeks after the site launch compared to today. pic.twitter.com/RvpRaVAd3I
— Brad Lynch (@MarinoV1) July 21, 2020
I've shared these before, but since it came up on The Hotspot, here are my E3 2006 photos of @rich_gallup on stage and the infamous "sweat box" where the editors were working.
— Brad Lynch (@MarinoV1) July 17, 2020
Yeah...I've been doing the "take photos of everything at a convention" for a long time. pic.twitter.com/THFaKkH5ip
Clips
The Final Minutes of Mixer (By: Charles Alan Ratliff)
It is not every day I thank random strangers on the internet for their due diligence, but this is definitely an extraordinary situation. Someone on YouTube managed to archive Jeff's final Mixer stream even though Jeff lost the save file. To whoever managed to do this, you have my thanks!
Artwork
Giant Bomb Staff Lockdown Doodles (By: @JohnWilinski)
Over on Twitter, JohnWilinski felt inspired to make fun doodles for every Giant Bomb staff member who has work around the clock to provide everyone with podcast-based entertainment during the pandemic. Please support their creative efforts by using the link above!
Brad x Toasty (By: @jearum)
It's a callback to one of the first truly viral moments in Gaint Bomb's history, but that doesn't stop this work of photoshop from being GREAT!
Ranking of Fighters Trackmania Skin (By: @stantongrouse)
stantongrouse paid homage to the fighting game science of Jeff, Jason, and Ben the only way they knew how: by making a Trackmania car skin based on Giant Bomb's Raking of Fighters series!
Community Activities
Giant Bomb TrackMania Club Available (By: @daltaaan)
We now have an unofficial community run TrackMania Club! Here's the link to use if you are interested in learning how to join it
Blogs
Deadly Premonition 2 And The Curse Of Expectations +
Switching It Up (Because I Got A Switch) (By: @mooseymcman)
MooseyMcMan delivers another solid blog about the trials and tribulations involved in playing Deadly Premonition 2. Does it deserve the "Official Nintendo Seal of Quality?" Additionally, MoosyeMcMan also got a Nintendo Switch and shares their first impressions of the console!
Fighting Final Fantasy V - Part 3: More People Should Play This Game And Don't Forget To Support The Four Job Fiesta! (By: @zombiepie)
Moderator ZombiePie concludes their retrospective on Final Fantasy V with an impassioned plea on the site for more people to play the game and support the Four Job Fiesta! Read why they feel as strongly as they do using the link!
I Unlocked The Obsidian Crossbow In COD: Warzone And I Wish I Hadn't Bothered (By: @sweep)
Moderator Sweep unlocked the Obsidian Crossbow in COD: Warzone and details in their most recent blog on why they wish they hadn't even humored the idea in the first place.
PS3 Games Still Play Fine To Me But The Console Itself Feels Ancient. A Case For Backwards Compatibility (By: @bigsocrates)
bigsocrates has been playing a lot of PS3 games in lieu of the Lockdown and shares why the ancient feel of the console is a strong argument for Sony to support backwards compatibility.
Those Of Us Gaming In The 80s/90s...What Do You Remember Most Fondly? (By: @sombre)
Sombre is calling on any Giant Bomb users who played games during the 80s and 90s to share their favorite gaming memories from either decade! What are some habits or traditions you miss doing?
Not E3 2020: Ubisoft (By: @gamer_152)
Moderator Gamer_152 returns to the world of blogging by sharing their review of Ubisoft's not E3 2020 press conference! Read why they think there is no justification for avoiding issues of abuse when we discuss games.
Might and Magic X — An Fitting End? Part Two - The Early Games (By: @valorianendymion)
ValorianEndymion continues their EXHAUSTIVE retrospective on the Might and Magic franchise with extensive looks at Might and Magic I , II, and III! Read why they think the "beginning" of the franchise is also its end.
The Rise, Fall, and Rise of 3D Platformers - Starring Crash Bandicoot! (By: @jeremyf)
jeremyf completed the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and that inspired them to try and "chart" the rise and fall of 3D console platformers. Read what they have come up as being the genre's downfall.
The Wheel of Dubious RPGs Episode 009-010: Daggerfall Unity and Arcania: Gothic 4+
Blightstopper: A Slightly-Too-Long Dragon Age Origins Retrospective (By: @arbitrarywater)
The latest edition of ArbitraryWater's "The Wheel of Dubious RPGs" blog series continues with a double-feature! This episode covers The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall AND Arcania: Gothic 4! Guess which one they recommend you play! More importantly, ArbitraryWater started a new retrospective series on the Dragon Age franchise and you can read all about Dragon Age: Origins and its MANY connected spin-offs and DLC!
Indie Game of the Week 180: MO:Astray +
Indie Game of the Week 179: Hidden Paws +
IGotW Special: Indie Bundle of the Century: Part 3 +
"Can I, Lit Elf Zero, Defeat a Demon Hog?": OoT Randomizer Fun (By: @mento)
Given my hiatus, Mento almost deserves their own section on the spotlight as they published an inordinate amount of content since we last met. First, they looked at MO:Astray and Hidden Paws for their "Indie Game of the Week" series. Next, Mento continued their quest to play everything from the mega-sized Itch.io Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality! Here's their latest write-up on a smattering of games they tried out! Finally, they started a new blog series documenting their attempt to complete The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time using a randomizer!
DUSK: A Fresh Successor (By: @lib3r4t3)
lib3r4t3 gave DUSK a shot and writes about why they found it to be "the most refreshing FPS game" they have played in years and consider it the greatest homage to E2M2!
TennoCon 2020 - August 1st "Heart of Deimos" Teaser (By: @rapid)
As to be expected, Rapid from Giant Bomb's Warframe community has a handy write-up summarizing all of the "teasers" leading up to TennoCon 2020 including the recent "Heart of Deimos" trailer!
Mortal Shell Beta Impressions (By: @humanity)
Have any of you joined the Mortal Shell beta? If not, give Humanity's blog a read to see what they liked and disliked about the latest build of the game, and whether or not they think the game has legs!
Even At The Agreeable Price Of "Free" Via PlayStation Plus, Erica Struggles To Justify It's Format (By: @nodima)
Nodima uses their latest blog on Giant Bomb to talk about the choose-your-own-adventure style game for Sony's PlayLink series, Erica, and why they think it struggles to justify its format.
Discussions & Threads
Ghost of Tsushima - Reviews & Impressions Thread (By: @glots)
Reviews for Ghost of Tsushima are coming out and you can see where the scores stand and join the community discussion about what everyone else thinks of the game, whether it be positive or negative.
Ghost Of Tsushima Spoiler Thread (UNMARKED SPOILER WARNING!) (By: @bigsocrates)
Are you in the mood to discuss Ghost of Tsushima's story? Well, here's a link to the community SPOILERS discussion thread for the feudal Japan action-adventure game everyone seems to be talking about!
What's The One Enemy That Induced The Most Anxiety? (By: @finaldasa)
I love this forum topic! What is the one enemy encounter, boss, or hostile environment that induced the greatest amount of anxiety out of you? For me it is a tie between the evil piano in Mario 64 and the Malboro in the Final Fantasy franchise.
How Many Games Do You Start A Year? (By: @fourthline)
Here's another poll and discussion thread that stirred up a storm for a bit: how many games per year do you start? This is not about the number of games you "finish" but the number you install and play for at least a handful of minutes.
How Important Is The Length Of A Game? (By: @arkadysmile)
In this day and age, how important is game length to you? Is your preference for longer games or shorter ones? Do you still, or ever have, assess your video game purchases using a hour to dollar spent ratio?
What Was The First Game You Saw That Made You Go "This Is The Future Of Games Right Here" (By: @sombre)
What was the first game you saw that made you go "Wow! This is the future!" If you want my answer, it has to be the oft-forgotten Mother 3 N64 minecart demo. That thing blew my goddamn mind at the time. Regardless, feel free to share the demos or trailers that left you in awe!
Persona Parent Series Shin Megami Tensei Getting A New Entry And A Nocturne HD Version Next Year (By: @justin258)
The community is still buzzing about the prospect of an HD Remaster of SMT Nocturne and SMT V! Join the community discussion about what you hope to see changed in the Nocturne remaster or next game!
Next Generation Consoles - Your Thoughts So Far? (By: @johnlocke)
What are your thoughts about the next generation consoles? Which console are you leaning towards the most right now? If you are in the "none of the above" camp like many users, what has you skeptical about the new consoles?
Space Doubt? Zone Expansion? Let's Post Some Old Rave Era 'Classics' (By: @hellorain)
Inspired by Jeff's recent use of KLF during their livestreams, members of the Giant Bomb community are sharing their favorite rave and electronic music from the 80s and 90s! I'll tell you what, Prodigy and Depeche Mode had some of the most "metal" concerts I have ever experienced.
What Are Your Least Favorite Forms Of Difficulty In Games? (By: @aktane)
Here's a fun discussion thread and poll on the forums: what are your LEAST FAVORITE styles or forums of video game difficulty? What types of video game "cheapness" really get in your craw? I know a lot of Mario Kart fans have mentioned the dreaded blue shell.
Exceptions To Genres You Usually Avoid? (By: @darksouls1988)
As the title suggests, what are some games from genres you actively dislike? Is it a mainstream AAA game or simple indie game that made you check out something outside your comfort zone?
What Game Allows You To Be The Most Evil? (By: @brunothethird)
Here's another topic from a while back with a lot of interesting community input: which game allows you to be THE MOST EVIL? What game has allowed you to commit the gravest and most heinous acts? Popular picks include: Civilization, The Sims, and Sim City!
Dragon's Dogma Is Getting An Anime (By: @nexivselecaf)
Dragon's Dogma is getting an anime adaptation! Are you excited? How do you think the show will adapt the source material? Do you trust the studio in charge of the production and Netflix to make something memorable?
Which Company That Has The Best Sound Track Collection? (By: @giant_gamer)
And here's the discussion thread and poll that drew the sharpest battle lines from the Giant Bomb community! Which game companies do you think have the best catalog of music? Nintendo? Square-Enix? Konami?
Could Yoshi Out Eat Hotdog Eating Champion Joey Chestnut? (By: @finaldasa)
I want to point out that a member of Giant Bomb's moderation team made this topic, though, if we are being honest, I'm not exactly someone who can judge.
Lists
Best Assassin's Creed Protagonists (By: @sgtsphynx)
Moderator SgtSphynx uses their latest list on the site to "rank" the Assassin's Creed protagonists from best to worst. See where your favorite character ranks and share what your list would look like.
Soulcalibur Bonus, Guest and Misc. Character Recommended Weapon Styles (By: @jessemb27)
jessemb27 is working on a list related to the guest characters in the Soulcalibur franchise! They're trying to annotate the "recommended weapon" for every one-off or guest character in the franchise! Use the link and help out their project!
Reviews
- @nateandrews played Minecraft Dungeons and uses their review of the game to articulate why they found it to be a fun, bite-sized adventure into the world of Minecraft!
- @humanity uses their review of Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z on the site to discuss why they think the game is a complete wasted opportunity of a more than decent concept.
- @chlomo recently gave Call of Cthulhu - The Video Game a shot and uses their review to discuss why they found it to be a confusing mess of a game.
- @fourthline uses their review of Pokémon Go to detail why they think we will look back at the game as the "gold standard" for all mobile games to come.
- @fourthline uses their review of Far Cry 5 to share why they think it is becoming next to impossible to say "no" to Ubisoft games despite everything that works against their favor.
- JEFFRUD is going through the launch titles of the eighth-generation of consoles and that led them to play LocoCycle! Read why they think the game's casual racism is just one of its problems!
Wikis
Two weeks ago, the Giant Bomb wiki added two new platforms to the database! If you know anything about British computers or weird-ass Japanese consoles from the 1980s, feel free to edit their respective wiki pages!