Pausanius

@Funkoid

Thank you for pointing this out -- and just when I thought Netflix couldn't make any more poor decisions this year.

I don't mind the new 360 dashboard interface, but the new Netflix app is simply terrible. I've been fairly critical of the PS3 Netflix interface compared to 360's offering... and somehow Microsoft has managed to make Netflix on PS3 far more appealing to me now without Sony having to do a thing.

Bring back:

* Full (not very abbreviated) summary review (including year released!) without having to start the movie

* Let me choose which episode of the TV series I want to watch, again without starting the show.

* Let me rate movies without having to ... well, you see where this going.

* Advanced preview during fast forwarding/rewinding (very helpful on children's shows where there are multiple stories on one episode).

* Restart from the beginning button (I didn't realize we used this so much until it was gone).

* Speed the whole thing up -- search function seems to take longer as well as simply changing row to row.

To be fair, two features are nice perks:

* The minimize as the end of a tv episode during credits with the summary of the next on the bottom right... simple click of A to keep going for marathons.

* The categories do seem to update while you're in the App... maybe between movies. Before it seems like if you wanted a different jumble you had to exit all the way out and even then, it was kind of random.


Joystiq, I'd love to see some sort of survey on what people think of this Netflix app specifically.

You know, I immediately thought the same thing upon seeing the image -- although given they're all outside the circle, I'd attribute it just as a throwback to Euro-folklore.

Now on the other hand, if you hopped in the middle and started auto-dancing...

Great news; and while this is the bit of news that makes my day/week, a remake of KQIV would have made my month.

Infamous Adventures did a pretty faithful remake of KQ3 a few years back that is well-worth the playthrough and kind of fills that re-make void that was missing.

Still, AGDI's KQ3 version will be a day one download and playthrough, given the exceptional job they've done on QFG2 (and KQ1/2 for that matter).


Joystiq, any potential sleuthing that you all can do about Quest for Glory re-releases/re-makes? I seem to recall a fairly recent article that Vivendi had potential plans for new games in the series (maybe console?).... but a collector's edition similar to their KQ/PQ/SQ/LSL releases is anxiously awaited.

Absolutely agreed on the vanity guild concept. It's the first thing I started for my wife and I when getting her into the game -- guild name "Matrimony". Just the two of us, no one else allowed, and it keeps the guild invites out. The added bank space that came later on was an additional plus.


At some point, we've considered turning our private guild into a casual guild with the only joining requirement is that it's for couples... I'd imagine there's plenty other married couples out there who only play once the kid(s) go to bed. :)

@cherryboom, @peacein0000

To Cherryboom's point, PCs are getting close to throwaway electronics price but it's only throwaway now if you bought it for the wrong specs.

Battery life so far hasn't been semi-acceptable, the trackpad is awful... but the Win 7 Premium/BR/i5 is worth their weight. I bought this one to stay plugged in 99% of the time as a small, easily concealed 2nd BR player for the living room. Movie quality is more than sufficient and it can stream children YouTube videos for the little ones :)

To that point, my primary concern was having to use the trackpad (which is pretty awful) to navigate menus -- I've since remedied the situation by discovering Logitech's TouchMouse app for iPhone. Reviews are mixed, but I've come away extremely impressed with its sensitivity/accuracy -- I daresay the iPhone capability is better than the trackpad itself.


Now, if only they'd add a built in IR port to the iPhone/Touch, I'd have a true TV/BR remote, TV Guide, Netflix queuer and Tivo scheduler all in-one and retire my Harmony :)

@Pausanius

Mmm, to provide slightly more insight -- the Gateway i5 processor was the error in the above reference. The laptop was supposed to contain an i3 + Blu-ray for $500 (which is of course not too shabby); however, Gateway mislabeled their i5 line with the i3 stickers/UPCs. Thus those who bought the $500 i3 deal actually got a laptop with the better chip.

@peacein0000

While I was glad to get in on the Gateway/Best Buy mishap too, it's important to note that it was an *error*, not an intentional $500 i5 blu-ray playing laptop deal. The MSi deals are priced competitively and seemed to be fairly sound keyboard-wise judging from our local Fry's.


On that note, the Best Buy employee was pretty amusing when I picked up my laptop... "We never sell Gateways like this -- Can I ask you why this one?" To which agreed to, but only after checking out... :)

That's the thing though Elranzer -- there wasn't a lot of hype leading up to Demon's Souls. Hype grew and accolades came after release which is what ultimately got me to purchase it.

For me, it's the only truly challenging game to come out of this past year that was reminiscient of/evoked the angst felt in the NES era being at the last boss on your last life with zero continues.

While I love Uncharted for its storytelling, Left 4 Dead 2/COD:MW2 for its online mayhem, and certainly other great games from last year, Demon's Souls mechanics of harsh penalties and rewarding successes made it stand-out from the rest *for me*.


I do like your comparison to independent films though. If I had to pick one to compare to Demon's Souls, it'd be "Requiem for a Dream" -- Possibly the most depressing movie ever made that was tough to get through once... although once reflecting back and re-watching, it certainly had its merits.

Thank you for stating this and saving me the time.

Ever since Joystiq missed the entire point of Demon's Souls (on a couple occasions, albeit their tune seemed to change once the Metacrtic scores hit), I'm much more reserved of their game reviews in general.

The type of slights in this article tend to leave a more negative impression with me of the writer/site than the game itself. If anything, I'm just glad to see a SquareEnix RPG with slightly less androgynous characters.

Joyeux Noel, Feliz Navidad and Merry Christmas all!