The Community Spotlight 2020.03.07

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 at the best creative endeavors from the Giant Bomb user base! Alright, after a bit of fooling around the past two weeks, the bio this time around is a bit more "grim." In case you missed the 03/06/2020 UPF, thee Giant Bomb West staff expect to be given orders to work at home at some point during next week in response to the Coronavirus. If this is the case, expect delays on the normal schedule of videos. However, be aware they are already looking at way to stream from home and still record a podcast. If anything, things should be as chaotic as the Whiskey Media days when AWS went down. However, with that aside, let's jump into the site-related housekeeping.

• As many of you already know, Mike Mahardy has left GameSpot to pursue a new career. If you enjoyed him on Giant Bomb East, wish him the best on Twitter.
• This week on Instagram, Rorie gave hints about the RETURN of the VRodeo video series!
• Abby discovered that the demo character for Animal Crossing shockingly looks exactly like her.

Tweets Of The Week

Community Activities

Plants vs. Zombies 3 Giant Bomb Club (By: @toxicantidote)

Have any of you checked out the "soft launch" Plants vs. Zombies 3? Use the link above to hook up with other Giant Bomb users as well as discuss what you've played!

Giant Bomb Galleria

UPF Portrait (By: @Mars_Black)

Over on Twitter, Mars_Black is claiming this is a "practice sketch" where they attempted to work on their ability to draw facial expressions. If that's the case, then I want to say I want to see what the "real deal" looks like because this is awesome! Also, don't forget to follow them on Twitter for more works of art.

Clips Of The Week

Saying Goodbye to Mike Mahardy (Giant Beastcast 03/06/2020) (By: Giant Beastcast Clips)

We have a couple of video clips this week and each is about Mike Mahardy leaving GameSpot. The first is a quick clip from the Beastcast where Mike talks about enjoying their time as a recurring guest on Giant Bomb. To be expected, it is half-AEW talk, half-goodbye. Classic Mike.

Mike Mahardy On Leaving Gamespot, Guesting On Giant Bomb, And Game Informer's Internship (By: MinnMaxShow)

The second clip I have is an interview Mike did shortly after leaving GameSpot. In it, he reviews his humble beginnings as an intern at Game Informer to his recurring guest appearances on Giant Bomb.

Best Of Blogs

8 Years Of Warframe. Let Me Tell You Its Lore (By: @rapid)

Giant Bomb user Rapid has been playing Warframe for eight years now, and uses their latest blog to talk about its wildly in-depth lore and story. Give it a read and learn how the game's universe has evolved over time.

PAX East 2020 Highlights (With Pictures!) (By: @lcom)

LCom had the pleasure of attending PAX East 2020! Give their latest blog on Giant Bomb a read and read what they enjoyed playing at the conference, and check out their WONDERFUL pictures!

ZombiePie's Games Of The Decade Superlatives - Part II (By: @zombiepie)

Moderator ZombiePie caps off their "Games Of The Decade Superlatives" with interesting awards on Giant Bomb like "Best Meme Game," "Most Catastrophically Ill-advised Piece Of Hardware," and "Greatest Comeback Story." Give their blog a read and see if you disagree with any of their awards.

Indie Game of the Week 160: Chronicles of Teddy +

Mento's Month: February '20 (By: @mento)

First, continues their AWESOME "Indie Game of the Week" blog series with a new episode discussing Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus from Storybird Games? Give it a read and discover why they think it deserves more respect! Next, Mento summarizes their "eventful" February by looking at the games they played and blogs they wrote.

LOG 1: JAN/FEB 2020 (By: @mccash4gold)

MCCash4Gold uses their latest blog to highlight the games and music they enjoyed during February! If you are interested in some game and album recommendations, then use the link above!

Previewing My 2020 In Gaming (By: @gangway)

Giant Bomb user Gangway has big plans for 2020 in terms of games and gaming! Read all about how they plan to get the most out of their Xbox Series X and gaming PC all throughout the year!

PS5 & Xbox Series X - Sony Will Win On Price - I'm Calling It (By: @monkeyking1969)

Between the PS5 & Xbox Series X, who do you think will win the "price war?" MonkeyKing1969 has a hunch, but will price even matter this upcoming console cycle?

Join The Discussion

Mass Alex Watitng Room (By: @glots)

Giant Bomb's "Mass Alex" video series IS BACK BABY! If you are excited, don't forget to share your hopes for the new series in the community "Mass Alex Watitng Room!" Fun story, I once "fixed" the typo for all of the "Watitng Room" threads on the site and everyone wanted to have my head. Fun times....

Share Your Sims Lots in FreeSO! (By: @decoyoctopusx)

Thanks to Abby, a lot of Giant Bomb users have been playing FreeOS! If that includes you, share screencaps of your lot! To the right, you'll find what the original posters has made in the game.

PS2 20th Anniversary Thread (By: @realph)

The Giant Bomb community is still celebrating the 20th anniversary of the PlayStation 2! Share your favorite memories and games from the platform with the rest of the community! Also, don't forget to check out the amazing pictures Marino took during the E3 the console was announced!

There's A New Story Trailer For Ghost Of Tsushima, And It's Out June 26 (By: @rorie)

Have any of you seen the new Ghost of Tsushima story trailer? Are you excited about the game's June 26th release date? If either question applies to you, join the community discussion.

Would Crafting Not Pausing Gameplay Fall Into The "Menus Don't Pause Gameplay" Concept? (By: @lapetitejort)

Here's a fun and interesting debate related to the Giant Bomb wiki! For the "Menus Don't Pause Gameplay" concept page, should games that have crafting mechanics that do not pause the gameplay qualify? Join the debate using the link!

A New Amnesia Game Has Been Announced: Rebirth (By: @rorie)

A new Amnesia game has been announced and it is titled "Amnesia: Rebirth!" Use the link below to watch the trailer and share your thoughts and hopes for the game with the Giant Bomb community!

Halo: CE Anniversary PC Discussion (By: @casepb)

What do you make of the "surprise" launch of Halo: Combat Evolved on Steam? Do any of you have strong opinions about the quality of the port? Does playing OG Halo on a PC even make sense?

Trackmania Nations - Ready For More Star Wars Metallica? (By: @monetarydread)

Trackmania (2020) is all set to launch on May 2020! Are you excited for more Trackmania? Ready for more Star Wars Metallica? How do you want Giant Bomb to cover the new Trackmania on the site?

Anime Music Videos (AMVs) (By: @atheistpreacher)

It was bound to happen sooner or latter, the new "Anime" forums has an "Anime Music Videos Appreciation Thread!" Share and discuss your favorite AMVs, and please for the love of God, don't have every video be Goku fighting Cell to Linkin Park.

What is The Worst Wrestling Tattoo Of All Time? (By: @sombre)

Here's another fun discussion from the newly minted "wrestling" forum: Who has the worst wrestling tattoo of all time? If you ask me, I've always thought Batista's belly-button tattoo looks like a skin infection. That said, Cody's neck tattoo is AWFUL!

Control Story DLC is Coming This Month (By: @rorie)

Control is getting story DLC THIS MONTH! What are your hopes and predictions for what this will entail? Can you think of any specific characters or storylines you'd like to see more of?

PSA: Murder by Numbers Exists (By: @spunkyhepanda)

Some users are singing praises for Murder by Numbers from the creator of Hatoful Boyfriend and the composer of Phoenix Wright! No news if it has a "secret ending" that blows people's minds like Hatoful Boyfriend.

Lovable Lists

Campy Video Games (By: @bmoore4026)

bmoore4026 whipped up a list annotating their favorite "campy" video games! Is there such a thing as "good camp" in video games? Well, give their list a read and think about which games would be on your list!

Useful User Reviews

• @moonlightmoth holds no punches in their review for Darksiders III. Read why they found it to be one of the worst game experiences they've had in years.
• @capt_blakhelm gave the vertical-scrolling action roguelike, Downwell, a try recently and discusses why its a great roguelike they struggle to play because of its difficulty.
• @blueholeprod continues their retrospective review series on the big games of the PS3's library with a look at Resistance 2. Read why they think it has aged better than the series' first outing!
• @chlomo continues their retro horror video game reviews with a look at Haunting Ground! Give it a read and see if they think the adventures of Fiona Belli and her dog hold up.
• @bonbonetti reviewed Overpass, a recent off road racing game, and shares why they consider it a "driving physics puzzler" more than anything else!

Wonderful Wikis

Street Fighting Man

Many thanks to Giant Bomb user @capt_blakhelm for putting in a ton of hard work on this wiki page! If you ever sink in a few hundred points into a wiki page, don't forget to give me a yelp!

Menus Don't Pause Gameplay

I have to say, it's a part of a featured discussion thread this week, but this concept page deserves its own spot. Give it a read and see if you can think of any games we may have missed.

mad props to that artist for those sketches!

I'll miss Mike. His presence was always welcome on the Bombcast and Beastcast, and stuff like Burgle My Bananas and the Red Alert 2 stream.

Holy crow, that's my sketch! Wow, that really means a lot to me. I love Giant Bomb and this community so I'm very happy to be a part of it and have all the kind words and feedback!

@clagnaught: Man, that RA2 video is just so good. Think i have watched it 3 times.

@martian_bars: It's really good!

@dr_mel: Thank you!

@martian_bars: Those are great! Also, I have a guy in my office named Mars Black, so I got a bit freaked out, for a second.

@oddparticle: Oh no way! The name comes from a type of paint so maybe he dabbles in a bit of art as well. Or was named after paint? Haha. Thanks by the way!

That Giant Bomb Warframe Alliance Emblem shown by my blog was done by @uberexplodey. The Bomb says "Giant Bomb" in the warframe tenno script / language.

An unfocused rant:

I think somehow it's time for giant bomb to reinvent itself. Something is amiss. Whiskey media days were the best. Norm and Will were too good of a combination. Will talking down to and making Norm uncomfortable was one of the best things to watch.

Another classic thing worth watching was Dave and Drew and Vinny trying to do simulation games.

Recapturing the past is never the way to go, but something is bland about this kind of site now. What is worth doing in game journalism?

Whatever giant bomb is now, it feels to me more than ever now like just another voice.

I think Jan Can Cook is the best thing recently because it's so stupid and odd for a game site. All of Abby's stuff is fantastic too. Abby is a one person show.

Dan tried to push giant bomb in some great directions, but now without him... I fear giant bomb is going to be even less risky.

You guys have to lean into the risk. And work hard to make fools of yourselves. And do things that are outside your comfort zone. And ruffle feathers.

Don't just treat this as a regular job.