Count To Five: Happy Peepin' Birthday

So, today is my birthday. Kinda had in mind something completely different in mind, but as I've been under the weather and spending a more time resting. Part and parcel when mid-cough, you think you've discovered some internal organ you're either not supposed to be able to feel or isn't supposed to be there.

So we go cheap and easy today and mix Peep This with Score and an epic remix.

1. Because Awards Planning Actually Sucks

It's video game awards season and Tina Sanchez, 1UP Community Manager and co-host of The Oddcast and 1UP's Game Night, puts her own spin on the awards discussion after dealing with the not-so-fun official nomination process. With categories such as "He Gave It To His Mama" and "Seriously, WTF" it's not hard to wonder why Ms. Sanchez may need professional help. (Kidding, I've nothing but love for Tina.)

2. I Want What He's Having

Okay, I'm not making any jokes about Sinan Kubba. Primarily because he's the Editorial and Features Director at The Game Reviews that may hold the fate of any piece of work I may throw their way. He's also an intelligent and interesting person if you read or listen to any of his work. From his You Have Lost blog, he recounts a dream of a video game I'm finding even more intriguing now than the day he first mentioned it.  Of course that could just be the NyQuil cocktail talking.

3. Me Me Me Me Me

Seriously, you thought I'd go by birthday not cheap-plugging myself? C'mon! On the Bitmob front, Dan Hsu posed the issue to the community of game review events and whether they cause an integrity issue for the reviews that attend. I take on that issue asserting it's less of an issue than it seems on the surface, but it's for you to decide for yourself.

4. Are You Hardcore?

Editorial Director of Gamefly Media Garnett Lee in Shacknews's Evening Reading for the day takes on the oft-used, rarely clearly defined term "hardcore" and what it means, if it means, anything at all in the present gaming landscape.

5. Anyone Else Want To Hop On This Track?

It's my birthday. Final Fantasy VII just going to get a mention. Period. If you're going to attack the iconic theme of the game uber-villian Sephiroth for a remix, why not throw in a Final Fantasy party's worth of remixers at the project. Taking on "One-Winged Angel" for the OCRemix Voices of the Lifestream album are bLiNd, Fishy, pixietricks, Sixto Sounds, Steffan Andrews, Suzumebachi, tefnek. This is "Black Wing Metamorphsis."

Peep This: Oct: 17, 2009

It's the weekend, so no better time to catch up on some stuff you might have missed this week across the web. God knows you didn't miss anything here:

At the The Game Reviews, John Laster visits Bioware Edmonton to dig deep into Dragon Age Orgins in seperate interviews with Executive Producer Mark Darrah and Lead Designer Mike Laidlaw. They offer up insights on story, developing for console and PC, choice and setting.

Also at TGR, James Bishop examines story and the shooter. Using Halo as a jumping point, he looks at whether FPS's even need more in-depth stories than what we see today.

Finally from the TGR front, Big Red Potion gets all Degrassi on us. Don't worry, it's actually one of the best BRP's of the year as the crew look at their most emotional moments in gaming.

Over on the 1UP front, Scott Sharkey brings back the 1UP Whiteboard taking an surprising analytical look at fanboyism and why it might actually be needed. Not surprising so much in him being analytical as why he'd expend an incredible amount of intelligent thought on...well, just watch.

Because we the people have an unhealthy obsession with lists, here's another offering from IGN. They put together their list of the Top 100 NES games of all-time. And if you can't guess #1 before clicking the link, I don't know you. Seriously. 

Finally, a "What the Hell?" YouTube video brought to my attention via Mark Hain at the BitMob. The YouTube poster: jeffdsilva. The following is way more Street Fighter 4 love than can be remotely healthy, even if it's actually a pretty good song.

Need For Speed: Shift Impresssions and other TGR Goodness

My impressions of Need for Speed: Shift just went up on at TheGameReviews.com. I offer up some thoughts on how it plays, the cockpit view and the progression system. Also, for those that got that bad podcasted version of the interview with Marc De Vellis, you can watch it online there.

Other recent TGR highlights I'd recommend include Joe DeLia's examination of why so many games look the same and John Laster's review of WET.