Comments on: Could you please recommend me...

Question: Could you please recommend me...

sixcolors — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:55:53 -0800

I need some new blog recommendations. A video game one, too.

In the winter months, I seem to have more time on my hands.

I'm looking for more blogs/websites to read and more video games to play.

1. As for blogs, I'm looking for something that is humorous and left-leaning (think Stuff White People Like). And, something really humorous and "guyish".

2. Good review sites...that are geared towards PLACES, such as restaurants, bars, tourist attractions, rec plexes, or whatever. City doesn't matter.

3. This may sound bizarre. What I find the most therapeutic for my winter blues is not turning on more lights or getting more sun, it's playing hours of video games that has a tropical or sub-tropical setting. What are some games (for X-Box 360, Wii, or PS2) that has this setting?

Thanks a bunch.

By: mikepop

mikepop — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:06:52 -0800

Mario Kart Wii has a couple of courses set on beaches.

By: Grither

Grither — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:10:11 -0800

Far Cry 1 and 2(360) are set on a tropical island I believe.

Or for old school, the Monkey Island series is excellent, but may be tough to find (also is PC only, I believe, but any PC these days can handle it).

By: box

box — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:16:45 -0800

They're not great games, but Just Cause and Mercenaries 2 have tropical settings. GTA: Vice City is set in a fictionalized Miami. Super Mario Sunshine, too, takes place on a tropical island.

I don't know if you like golf games (I find I only enjoy 'em as 'party' games, which is to say with other people in the room and while intoxicated), but, as far as relaxing tropical and subtropical scenery goes, they're one of the most reliable genres.

By: phoenixy

phoenixy — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:20:26 -0800

I haven't tried it but Endless Ocean, for the Wii, is set underwater in Hawaii.

By: kidbritish

kidbritish — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:24:01 -0800

If you want to play Monkey Island, get ScummVM, which is a sort of emulator for all of those old LucasArts adventure games.

By: googly

googly — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:46:33 -0800

Not sure if you're into point-and-click type games, but if you are then try these, all set in warm-weather climes:

- Chasm
- Archipelago
- Return to Archipelago

All links go to reviews of the games by the jayisgames blog, by the way.

By: kaseijin

kaseijin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:49:19 -0800

My roomie runs a video game blog that I find to be pretty good, if you want to mix your gaming and your blog-reading up all Reese's Pieces style. Check it out here.

By: Nixie Pixel

Nixie Pixel — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:23:41 -0800

I have recently begun a video game/humorous blog, and I hope it is what you are looking for. I could really use feedback from people such as yourself who are interested in this type of blog. I would love it if you took a look and let me know how I could improve the site to meet whatever needs/desires you have.

By: fairytale of los angeles

fairytale of los angeles — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:58:49 -0800

Rock, Paper, Shotgun is a reliably cool video-gaming blog with a lot of reviews.

By: googly

googly — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:43:20 -0800

Oh, and in case you haven't already seen it, there is always zero punctuation's amusing game review vlog.

By: Ash3000

Ash3000 — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:54:19 -0800

Man oh man are you going to love The Sneeze...start with The Best Of sections, and go from there.

By: Servo5678

Servo5678 — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:58:00 -0800

Super Mario Sunshine is about as tropical as games come. It's a GameCube title, but it works just great with the Wii provided you have a GameCube controller and a GameCube memory card. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is another GCN title with lots of open water and sunny skies.

As for blogs, if I'm allowed to plug my own work then I'd direct you to my blog about video games, Press The Buttons. It's commentaries, reviews, and fun stories. If not, then nevermind.

By: BoscosMom

BoscosMom — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:58:32 -0800

If you don't already know about roadsideamerica.com it's worth a look.

By: Spatch

Spatch — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:25:54 -0800

This is going to sound kinda weird, but I think Viva Pinata for the Xbox 360 might be right up your alley if you like weird animal sims or just smacking things with a shovel until they explode into candy pieces. It plays like a watered-down Animal Crossing and the setting is a bright, colorful island. The strange little pinatas who run around your garden plot are quite colorful as well. It's aimed at kids, but has enough gameplay for adults to like it if they're a bit imaginative.

They just released an expansion pack but I think the original is a part of the discounted "Classics" title series, which means you can pick it up pretty cheap.

By: GPF

GPF — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:10:30 -0800

BoscosMom's link to Road Side America reminds me of Texas Country Reporter. Lots of kitschy-feel-good stuff (mostly food related), but kitschy-weird, too.

By: slimepuppy

slimepuppy — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:16:00 -0800

I'm only really qualified to answer #3...

Umm, ok, take this with a grain of salt, but Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 (though a pretty rubbish game) is amazingly chilled out and sunny in its approach. Whether you can look yourself in the mirror after playing it is another question entirely.

Quite specific, but EA's skate is actually a good game, set (permanently) on a beautiful day and has a generally relaxed pace to its skating. It's quite immersive, relaxed and stress-reducing, if you choose to play it that way.

Going a bit more old-school and PC, I can't recommend the first 3 Monkey Island games enough. The warmth of the anachronistic Caribbean just seeps through the screen, especially in the third one with its lush animation and rich music and audio design...

By: knockoutking

knockoutking — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:23:13 -0800

2. Good review sites...that are geared towards PLACES, such as restaurants, bars, tourist attractions, rec plexes, or whatever. City doesn't matter.

look at yelp - great site for all kind of reviews, etc

By: box

box — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:43:40 -0800

The Dead or Alive beach volleyball games, which I'd totally forgotten about, take place on a beach, and, uh, emphasize graphics. Not my thing, but you might dig 'em.