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Top 5: Games for your Day Off
Gaming is a hobby, but sometimes it can feel like a job. As developers try to boost replayability, your gaming commitments can become anxiety-inducing. Just ask anyone who dared to attempt achieving 100% of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. At first, it's a fun and wonderful romp through a vivid world that's just oozing with life and character. By the end, you wish you'd never left Vice City. Did anyone here complete all of Super Smash Bros Brawl? I'm talking Classic Mode with every character, all of the Event matches, the target smashes, and every trophy and sticker available. At a certain point, some games can become an obligation rather than a means to entertainment.
Today being Labor Day in the US, let's take a break from completing every mission, collecting every star, and unlocking all bonus content. Sometime between your 11 AM rise from bed and your evening consumption of copious amounts of hot dogs at your family barbeque, take some time to truly enjoy gaming. Here's our Top 5 recommendations.
GC 2008: Bully ready to give PC an atomic wedgie
Looks like the kids of Bullworth Academy are ready to practice their delinquency on PC. Eurogamer notes that a poster in the Leipzig Games Convention has the Bully logo with the words: "Demnachst fur PC."
We're positive some umlauts belong in there, but the basic message is that Bully is coming to PC "soon." Rockstar will probably make an official announcement sometime during the convention.
We're positive some umlauts belong in there, but the basic message is that Bully is coming to PC "soon." Rockstar will probably make an official announcement sometime during the convention.
Today in Joystiq: July 29, 2008

Joystiquery
Readers pick best webcomic: Waiting
News
Demigod releases first trailer, confirmed playable at PAX
Blackwater mercs say 'make music, not war'
Molyneux talks three new Fables and a secret project
Nintendo files lawsuit to curb DS piracy
Amazon clarifies some Gears of War 2 Lancer details
Resident Evil 4 vs. Resident Evil 5 vid showcases scary similarities
Valve committed to XBLA, re-releases possible
Scrabulous disabled for US, Canadian Facebook users
Square Enix pres Yoichi Wada preaches platform neutrality
Hell's Highway pushed back to September
A Grimm first trailer
'A Snake for a new era,' Kojima teases
Sierra: Ghostbusters 'absolutely not cancelled'
Sony profits dip, games division way up
Riccitiello: EA should have bet on Wii; PS3 and 360 still 'meaningful'
Take-Two excited about Wii, mum on GTA for the system
Double Fine: Brutal Legend is 'fine,' weevils not
EA doubles Q1 revenues, troubled by $95 million loss
New PlayStation 3 FCC filing found, likely 80GB
Command & Conquer FPS Tiberium delayed to fiscal 2010
Mass Effect DLC now on PC for free
Battlefield Heroes pushed back to late 2008
Bionic Commando Rearmed's divergent finale
EA generated $90m through digital distribution in Q1
EA: Boom Blox not a bomb after all
Red Alert 3 skipping PS3 due to 'exotic and tough' development
Shane Kim talks MMO stumbles
DC, Capcom partner for Resident Evil, Devil May Cry comics
Rumors & Speculation
Pachter: Nintendo has not abandoned the core audience
Rumor: Yoda could come to PS3 Soul Calibur IV through DLC
Culture & Community
Dreamcast emulator for PSP real, really slow
No compromise with working, full-size NES belt buckle
BlizzCon tickets on sale August 11
Fuel for debate: More E3 'best of' award winners announced
Bully is still riling up the Brits
When will the UK stop freaking out about Bully? If you guessed "Never," "Probably not anytime soon," "Not in this lifetime," or "Is that a rhetorical question?" then you're on the right track.The newest slew of censorship whinings stemmed from a commercial for the game, which some people found "offensive," "distasteful," and (insert negative adjective here). The ad featured typical Bully shenanigans: destruction of property, wedgies, and so forth. The Advertising Standards Authority received thirty-one complaints about the commercial in question, as a handful of folks were upset that children could easily see it on their tellies.
Take Two blames sensationalist media coverage for the complaints, and as for the ASA? They don't seem too worried, as the organization declined to take any action regarding the ad. Even so, Take Two has no plans to run it again in the future.
To see the "offensive" commercial for yourself, just click past the break.
Gallery: Bully
Bully ad complaints dismissed by ASA
The UK's Advertising Standards Authority has dismissed complaints that a television ad for Bully Scholarship Edition trivialized bullying. The agency said that although some might find the game's content and name in poor taste, the content of the ad was "unlikely to cause serious or widespread offense."
It's funny that the ASA would take the stance that the Bully ads wouldn't cause "widespread offense" when it received a total of 31 complaints. Comparably, the banned ad for Kane & Lynch only received 26 complaints. The extra complaints isn't exactly surprising; remember that the original PS2 version of Bully actually changed its name to Canis Canem Edit when it was released in Europe.
It's funny that the ASA would take the stance that the Bully ads wouldn't cause "widespread offense" when it received a total of 31 complaints. Comparably, the banned ad for Kane & Lynch only received 26 complaints. The extra complaints isn't exactly surprising; remember that the original PS2 version of Bully actually changed its name to Canis Canem Edit when it was released in Europe.
Bargains on Bully and bullet hell

If you're the type to never pay retail on anything, especially video games, the like-minded misers at the Cheap Ass Gamers community have found two worthwhile Wii deals for you:
If you haven't looked into shoot-em-up Castle of Shikigami III before, make sure you check out the videos we posted a couple of months ago -- there's a flying butler! Amazon also has CSI: Hard Evidence on sale for $19.99, but we have a feeling that not many of you will be too excited to pick up this video game adaptation of a poor man's Law & Order.
[Via CAG]
The Wii owners' Sunday shopping guide
This week's Sunday ads bring some interesting sales and deals to the table. Most noticeably, it seems like Bully: Scholarship Edition has had a universal price drop, and now only costs $30. Circuit City is the only store to advertise this, but from checking around at other retailers, the slashed price seems like the rule and not the exception. While $50 for the port might have been too expensive for your tastes, $30 sounds a bit easier to swallow.All the other deals worth mentioning will probably only motivate folks who were already on the fence. Best Buy, for example, is offering a $10 gift card to those who purchase Alone in the Dark. As for Circuit City, the retailer has a handful of $20 games marked down to $15 (Balloon Pop, Furu Furu Park, and Prince of Persia: Rival Swords, namely).
Topping it all off is Amazon's "Deal of the Day," which ends at 3am EST. Here you can find ezGear's Wii Rechargable Battery and Charger, which you can use to charge up your Wiimotes. We're not sure how reliable ezGear is when it comes to third-party accessories, but for $10, this dock might be worth a try.
Hopefully your wallets will come out unscathed from this gauntlet of deals, but if not, feel free to rant at us for our evil, tempting ways.
[Via CAG]
Source: $10 gift card with purchase of Alone in the Dark at Best Buy
Source: Amazon's "Deal of the Day" -- ezGear's Wii Rechargable Battery and Charger
Source: Circuit City (for sales on Balloon Pop, Furu Furu Park, and Rival Swords)
Bully ban means no virtual wedgies in Brazil
Brazil seems to be having a lot of censorship issues lately, but in terms of video games, Bully is the most recent victim.
According to an Associated Press article, Judge Flavio Rabello recently ordered that Rockstar's controversial game be banned from the country. This means that Brazilian stores (both brick and mortar and online) cannot sell the software, nor can the title be imported, distributed, or promoted.
So, why Bully over other violent games? State prosecutor Alcindo Bastos commented, "The aggravating factor is that everything in the game takes place inside a school. That is not acceptable." Yet, Bully isn't first game to be prohibited in the Latin American country; earlier this year, Counter-Strike and Everquest were banned as well.
It's a shame when governments don't take the time to understand something before following a knee-jerk reaction. Perhaps bullying is a touchy subject, since the issue involves children committing violence against other children, but pretending it doesn't exist by banning media that portrays it won't solve any problems.
[Via Game Politics]
According to an Associated Press article, Judge Flavio Rabello recently ordered that Rockstar's controversial game be banned from the country. This means that Brazilian stores (both brick and mortar and online) cannot sell the software, nor can the title be imported, distributed, or promoted.
So, why Bully over other violent games? State prosecutor Alcindo Bastos commented, "The aggravating factor is that everything in the game takes place inside a school. That is not acceptable." Yet, Bully isn't first game to be prohibited in the Latin American country; earlier this year, Counter-Strike and Everquest were banned as well.
It's a shame when governments don't take the time to understand something before following a knee-jerk reaction. Perhaps bullying is a touchy subject, since the issue involves children committing violence against other children, but pretending it doesn't exist by banning media that portrays it won't solve any problems.
[Via Game Politics]
Brazil bans Bully
No sooner does Rockstar finally succeed in getting Manhunt 2 unbanned in the UK than another Rockstar game gets banned in another country. This time around it's Bully: Scholarship Edition that's been banned by a Brazilian judge, as the AP is reporting.According to the report, the ban prevents the game from "being imported, distributed, sold or promoted on Web sites and stores" in the country. Brazilian distributors and retailers will have thirty days to comply with the ban, which came in response to a request from a Brazilian youth center. "The aggravating factor is that everything in the game takes place inside a school" said prosecutor Alcindo Bastas. "That is not acceptable."
A Take-Two spokesman said the decision "will not have a material impact on the sales of this popular title." We're relatively sure this is not the last we'll hear from the publisher about this matter.
Rockstar acquires Mad Doc Software, forms Rockstar New England
There's a brand new face for us to lovingly stick into our Take-Two Family Album -- Rockstar New England. Take-Two's Rockstar Games has announced the formation of the studio following the acquisition of Andover, MA-based Mad Doc Software, "one of the premier independent development studios in North America." The praise release continues with Rockstar founder, Sam Houser, weighing in on the purchase.
"The team at Mad Doc Software is extremely talented," he said. "Bringing them within the Rockstar Games family will enhance our core technology and further support our commitment to creating progressive and innovative gaming experiences."
C'mon everybody, let's join in singing the praises of the studio that most recently worked on the Xbox 360 version of Bully: Scholarship Edition!
What's that? We can't hear you! We seem to be experiencing audio difficulties! Hello?!
"The team at Mad Doc Software is extremely talented," he said. "Bringing them within the Rockstar Games family will enhance our core technology and further support our commitment to creating progressive and innovative gaming experiences."
C'mon everybody, let's join in singing the praises of the studio that most recently worked on the Xbox 360 version of Bully: Scholarship Edition!
What's that? We can't hear you! We seem to be experiencing audio difficulties! Hello?!
Bully's Xbox 360 patch may need another patch

We're still waiting to hear from Rockstar about what's really going on, but the company seems to have locked itself in the teacher's lounge and refuses to come out. So, what's the word on the virtual streets? Are people still having problems with their copy of Bully on the Xbox 360?
Bully patch making things worse?
Hey everyone. Remember how the Xbox 360 version of Bully had all those problems? Remember how Rockstar soon delivered a patch to iron out all the bugs? Well, it looks like the patch didn't quite work as advertised. In fact, if reports on the intertubes are to be believed, the patch actually made the game worse for some players. Specifically, there are reports of audio stuttering, which is something we've heard from our own readers, as well as graphical glitches and freezing issues. The question now is whether or not Rockstar plans to patch the patch.Another Week in Europe
Featuring charts from across the region, Another Week in Europe documents the buying habits and quirky tastes of a whole continent of Wii lovers.This week's European charts mark the arrival of a bloodless No More Heroes and Rockstar's Bully: Scholarship Edition. As both are pretty excellent games, it goes without saying that neither was ever going to threaten the likes of smug old Mario & Sonic.
But hey, sneering sarcasm aside, No More Heroes actually did a little better than we expected, reaching a respectable 14th in the UK, and 13th in Sweden. Okay, so Game Party (9th) and Carnival: Funfair Games (6th) both horrifically topped Suda's brilliant adventure in the UK, and it failed altogether to leave a dent on the top 20 in Denmark, Ireland, Germany, or Holland, but we're still pleased it came close to a top ten position somewhere.
Perhaps surprisingly, Bully: Scholarship Edition didn't fare as well, at least on the Wii. While the Xbox 360 version is performing decently in the UK (5th), Holland (10th), and Sweden (19th), the Wii edition is nowhere to be seen, save for a lowly UK ranking of 26th.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, we're sorry to announce that we're down a chart this week, as our usual sources for Spanish data are busy enjoying their four-day Easter weekend. The cheek! They'll be chained back to their desks next week. Go past the break for more charts than there are tulips in Holland. Probably.
Rockstar patches a problematic Bully
It may have taken longer then a week, but Rockstar has finally been able to push their game fixing patch through Microsoft certification with the roll out of a new Bully: Scholarship Edition patch. The patch, which should be applied the next time a player loads the game while connected to Xbox Live, is supposed to correct the numerous Bully glitches and technical issues that gamers have been experiencing since the game's launch. Hopefully the patch does just that, resulting in a Bully that acts more civil and less problematic. That said, if the patch doesn't fix everything, we know gamers will be vocal and verbally let Rockstar have it.[Thanks, TMlad]
Bully patch now on Live, but does it fix anything?
A patch for Bully: Scholarship Edition has been released on Xbox Live in lieu of the "broad worldwide announcement" expected today. But what does it fix? We don't know for sure, and various readers have reported the technical problems are either not fixed at all or in some cases worse. We've contacted Rockstar for more information. If you've downloaded the patch yourself, feel free to give your impressions below.
[Thanks, Mark]
[Thanks, Mark]















