Lately, due to both work-related time constraints and the general busyness of life I've found that, despite my best efforts, I've become what I've always feared…a slightly less than hardcore gamer. It's not that I'm losing interest in gaming, but rather, I'm running short of time in which to play games. As such, here are five quality games that even the busiest gamer can find time to play. Why five and not ten? I only had enough time to list five.

5 - Chat Noir: There are two types of people in this world: cat people and non-cat people. I own a cat and, as such, am qualified to say with 100% certainty that I am not a cat person. Why own a cat when you could just get a condescending and lazy roommate who likes to stab you every now and then? Turn the tables on your favorite feline and trap the cat--it's just as fun as annoying a real cat, but without the inconvenient lacerations. A hint: it’s more difficult than it looks, although after a few losses, effective strategies will emerge.

4 - Filler: Similar in concept to Qix and just as addicting.

3 - Boomshine: Not really a puzzle game, not quite a strategy game, yet undeniably entertaining—especially once you reach the higher levels. Also, surprisingly enough, the music is excellent.

2 - Building Houses: I’ve always enjoyed logic puzzles and optical illusions. Put those two together and you get Building Houses. Not so much a game as a spatial geometry exam. Yet, for some reason, it's fun.

1 - Passage: If you’ve never heard of this game, download and play it to completion immediately (don’t worry, it’s very short…almost too short). Artful and imaginative, Passage proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that simplicity and perfection often run parallel. If you’re interested in the creator Jason Rohrer’s take, read his statement about the game.

Will playing these games make up for the fact that, after purchasing Dragon Warrior VII at launch, I still haven’t completed it, or the fact that Metal Gear Solid 3 sits on my shelf as of yet unplayed? Of course not, but these five games are fun distractions that fit comfortably into those brief moments during the day when I have a spare moment and serve to remind me why I started playing video games in the first place.

Fun.

The pictures you're about to see are not of a vintage 80's arcade. Rather, they're of Peter Hirschberg's recently completed "Luna City Arcade" -- his home game room. Prepare yourself, for this has to be seen to be believed.

Being a child of the 80's, I have a personal affection for arcades. Dreams of smoke filled rooms illuminated by fluorescent lights echoing with the beautiful hum of pings and blings have become nothing but a distant memory with super powerful consoles now the norm.

But, Peter has refused to let the vintage arcade die, building a living testament to the classic age of gaming.

This arcade has every bell and whistle that every amazing vintage hot spot once had. From elevated floors to conceal cabling to black light carpeting, no expense was spared. Peter has even included a vintage coin machine, a pay phone, a snack bar and full surround sound. I'm only begining to touch on the insane amount of detail included. So, how did he fit this all in his house?

Easy. He just built a separate structure that sits next his home. No joke.

If you're curious to see the entire list of games in the collection, click here. I'm slightly disappointed at the lack of 90's fighters and beat-em-ups, but who am I to complain? This is someone's dream realized, and I'm seething with jealousy.

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I just watched Casino Royale again (in Blu-ray, of course). And, I have to tell you guys, Daniel Craig is one damn good Bond. If you have a chance to pick up one of the James Bond Omnibus sets, I highly recommend it. You'll get the original character pieces that built Bond from the ground up and absolutely justify every choice made for the last film. Casino Royale, in both movie and book, consistently remind you that 007 is a spy. It's in his every decision, his every action. And it reminded me...

Video game professions are much cooler than real life, aren't they?

7. Pro Athlete

I've never been the super athletic type. Oh, you could tell? Hmm, I guess the video game blog is a dead giveaway. Most people tend to dislike the superstar athletes during their heyday -- like Tom Brady. He's got the money, the looks, the championships and the girls. That's one killer combo.

Without much doubt, the jealousy factor runs high. But, I'm not like that...for there are still six other professions I'd rather have and just can't get.

6. Intergalactic Space Captain

No, don't think Zap Brannigan.

Call me crazy, but I'm a firm believer in alien life somewhere. This floating ball can't be the only place in the entire galaxy. And, if recent pictures prove accurate, aliens might just be on Mars. Regardless, I'd love to be the rocket man burning out his fuse up there alone. Well, maybe not all alone -- I'd like a large crew behind me for sure.

Just the concept of exploring the galaxy fascinates me. Having an interplanetary map on a personal space cruiser essentially made Mass Effect and would no doubt turn me into the coolest Captain in the fleet.

5. Demon Slayer

I'm not a huge fan of the concept of hell. But, if there were demons out there I'd be more than happy to slay them for humanity. I'm guess I'm just cool like that.

Devil May Cry has defined what this gaming profession is about, and again proves it's coolness through main characters driving motorcyles and wearing black leather. I don't currently own a bike, since I drive a Honda Civic. However, I'll be at the Harley shop the second lava erupts from street.

Whew, no lava there. Good thing too, since the other professions get girls while demon slayers mope around waiting for the world to end. I want something more cheerful, like...

4. Wet T-Shirt Contest Judge

No, this really doesn't have any place on this list at all. But, I'd still like this job and it's something I know I'm totally not getting. Just go ask my wife.

3. Superhero

Everyone knows there are truckloads of superhero video games out there. And, for good reason. Superheros don't have lots of rules and weaknesses, making them perfect gaming fodder. There are literally millions of superhero flavors, and all come with fame, glory and saving the world.

I think being famous would be fun for a little while at least. And, since I'd be able to fly, the paparazzi wouldn't be an issue. If I was saving people's lives, a la Superman, I'd even feel good about being famous. I'm pretty sure there aren't a lot of celebs who think they're doing much good by just existing. Maybe that's why they all start foundations? You've gotta have something to motivate you.

2. Ninja

I think every kid at some point dresses up as a ninja for Halloween. I'm sure I did this at least twice myself. Yet still, the fantasy of flipping around a super secret fortress guarded by angry monks that throw sharp knives still sounds strangely appealing to this day. I guess it's the hours of my life I've thrown away in the Ninja Gaiden games. From the NES, to the Xbox I've had my ass handed to me time and time again.

I'm still proud to say I've finished each of the modern Ninja Gaiden titles, but am still consistently whooped by their NES older brothers. I also think if I go as a ninja this coming Halloween, I'll' dress in all black. Dressing in all black is always cool -- but I'll definitely avoid carrying nunchucks. I'll want something bigger and more sinister. Like....double katana blades.

You don't usually see the ninja getting the girl. But, he does always have the coolest variety of sharp objects at his beck and call. Optionally choosing to not carry a gun also propels ninjas higher up this list.

1. Spy

Back to Mr. Bond. Yes, there is the video game originator - Solid Snake from Metal Gear. But still, 007 is the embodiment of the quintessential spy. He's sharp, manipulative, stealthy and a genuine bad ass.

His car is always amazing.
The places he visits are always gorgeous.
The women he meets are beyond my comprehension.
Oh, and did I forget to mention he's saving the world in a tux?

Now that's a job.

Why am I so excited that Square-Enix finally rolled out the North American website for Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors? As difficult as it is for me to admit, the time has come to be honest. Hello, my name is Anthony (a.k.a. D.J. T-wan), I'm 28-years old and I am addicted to killing Slimes.

Is Dragon Quest Swords going to win Game of the Year for 2008? No. Is it going to reshape the face of gaming as we know it? I'm leaning toward no. Is it the next evolution of motion-controlled gameplay? Not even close. It will, however, serve as a brief distraction until the release of Dragon Quest IX and, for fans of the series like myself, provide a whimsical alternative to actual exercise. Besides, what could be more fun than a hybrid rail shooter/RPG where you commit large-scale genocide against a race of perpetually joyous sentient ooze droplets? It's the next best thing to punting kittens (if you're into that sort of thing). At the very least, when I bring the game home on or about February 26th, my wife should have a good chuckle watching me dodge, parry and thrust my way to nostalgic glory (double entendre intended).

So what is it about these iconic grinning globules of gelatinous evil that, despite being the single weakest enemy in the series, intrigues me? Basically, it takes some prodigious cojones to voluntarily (and consistently) enlist as minions for a variety of evil overlords while fully cognizant of the fact that your evil mission will end the first time you have the misfortune to engage some yahoo with a makeshift weapon. This is a fictitious creature that either (a) has a severe Napoleonic complex or, at the very least, (b) possesses a delusional narcissism of suicidal proportions.

I was first introduced to the Dragon Quest series (originally released as Dragon Warrior in the United States to avoid infringing on the trademark of the pen and paper role-playing game, DragonQuest), in 1990 when, in the single greatest marketing promotion in the history of gaming, new subscribers to Nintendo Power received the game FOR FREE. Being an entrepreneurial 11-year old and, coincidentally, lacking the fiduciary means to facilitate my burgeoning video game addiction, I went straight to my parents. Following a brilliant and insightful economic presentation wherein I explained the numerous benefits to monetary sponsorship of said subscription in light of the free game being offered (a $50 value!), my parents agreed. 6-8 weeks later, my copy of Dragon Warrior arrived in the mail and my long and torrid love affair (ewww...) with the unofficial series mascot began:



17 years later and, in spite of the fact that I consider myself an intelligent adult (this article aside), I still smile at the prospect of swatting fictitious invertebrates into oblivion. Who needs deep gameplay and riveting narrative if the experience is just plain old fun?

Maybe it's nostalgia.

Maybe I bumped my head really hard this morning and I have no business writing anything for the site today.

Or, maybe Slimes are a metaphor for the unrelenting optimism inherent in the human psyche; a caricature of that burning desire to be a hero, the underdog who comes out on top against overwhelming odds. Perhaps Slimes are The Little Engine That Could of the video game generation, pressing ever forward toward a seemingly unattainable goal, their only solace coming from the singular thought, "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can."

It's also possible that I simply enjoy being the one to say, "No, you can't."

LucasArts has finally broken their silence on Star Wars: Force Unleashed and released the above web documentary. Project Lead Haden Blackman describes how three new state-of-the-art technologies are merging to create an unprecedented and unscripted next-gen experience on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 this summer. Hit the jump to see the full trailer inside...

There's just something about watching the new main character (yet another in an apparent long line of Vader apprentices) carry his light saber behind his back. It's totally pointless, and offers nothing to the game in terms of story or gameplay functionality. Yet, it's just so damn cool. He makes Samuel Jackson's purple lightsaber look positively mundane. Without a doubt, I'll be carrying my lightsaber like that from here forth.


Impressed yet?

If this does actually arrive during the summer it has the potential to be a monster. We haven't seen a traditional Star Wars game hit it huge since Star Wars Battlefront 2 in 2005. LucasArts seems to be keenly aware of this and is actually considering the story included in Force Unleashed to be cannon in the Star Wars mythos. For those that don't know, the game takes place between both movie trilogies.

If Unleashed continues to shape up like it appears, it could be the first Star Wars game to truly simulate the full powers of the force conveyed in the films.

I can't wait.

Here in Chicago, the Sun Times and Chicago Tribune (the two big papers in town) continue to ignore video games or only report the negative -- just like the vast majority of other news outlets. Sure, they both have the occasional feature articles, but the coverage is minimalist and often lacking in scope.

The best example of this is the Sunday section of the Tribune -- which has a giant "Arts & Entertainment" section. In it, you can get news and reviews on every conceivable art form known to man: music, movies, TV, plays, art fairs -- literally everything you'd expect. It's a standard section that seems to be well organized, and well written with one glaring exception. There are no video games mentioned. AT ALL -- ever.

Time and time again, I look at the section and just shake my head. And, this is just the smallest example of this trend in the mass media. The video game enthusiast press covers what traditional gamers want, but what about all these new supposed casual gamers? The mass media was plenty happy to report on Wii shortages and the crazy Halo 3 launch, but you'll never hear them report about "that new hit game _____ that everyone is picking up."

Rather, they continue to droll out the typical entertainment mumbo jumbo: weekend box office numbers and celebrity gossip. Do they seriously think that gamers wouldn't be more attracted to their format if their primary hobby was at least mentioned in passing?

The facts speak for themselves.

TOP 10 INDUSTRY FACTS – provided by the ESA

1. US computer and video game software sales grew six percent in 2006 to $7.4 billion – almost tripling industry software sales since 1996.

2. Sixty-seven percent of American heads of households play computer and video games.

3. The average game player is 33 years old and has been playing games for 12 years.

4. The average age of the most frequent game buyer is 38 years old. In 2007, 92 percent of computer game buyers and 80 percent of console game buyers were over the age of 18.

5. Eighty-five percent of all games sold in 2006 were rated "E" for Everyone, "T" for Teen, or "E10+" for Everyone 10+. For more information on ratings, please see www.esrb.org.

6. Eighty-six percent of game players under the age of 18 report that they get their parents’ permission when renting or buying games, and 91 percent say their parents are present when they buy games.

7. Thirty-six percent of American parents say they play computer and video games. Further, 80 percent of gamer parents say they play video games with their kids. Sixty-six percent feel that playing games has brought their families closer together.

8. Thirty-eight percent of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (31%) than boys age 17 or younger (20%).

9. In 2007, 24 percent of Americans over the age of 50 played video games, an increase from nine percent in 1999.

10. Forty-nine percent of game players say they play games online one or more hours per week. In addition, 34 percent of heads of households play games on a wireless device, such as a cell phone or PDA, up from 20 percent in 2002.

According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, gaming has officially passed music in total yearly sales and by 2011, the worldwide gaming market will be worth $48.9 billion.

There's this really weird disconnect going on. In fact, it's so bizarre I'd almost classify it as a conspiracy theory. Now, before you run away and assume I'm crazy, just consider the extremely skewed views of editors and producers who don't see the inherent monetary value in these stories for their viewers and readers.

With 67% of American households owning a game console and the media's target age being 18-35 (gaming's core demo), it doesn't take a genius to figure out there is a giant piece of the puzzle missing.

So, what gives? Isn’t this a perfect match? Wouldn't you think they'd be dying to get readers and viewers in that age bracket by grabbing them with things that THEY'RE interested in, like video games? You’d sure think so.

No matter which why I flip it, dissect it or analyze it -- the logic fails. My only conclusion? The mass media is AFRAID of gaming and only cares to report on the ill contrived negative perceptions that are thrown about on PURPOSE. Popularizing stereotypes -- like all games having graphic sex and violence --will keep the average American fearful of the medium. By keeping games in the gutter news department, they can continue to try to sell the public on it being a niche, a trend, a temporary fad -- all while they make billions in ad revenue.

NEWS FLASH: They’re flat out wrong. Gaming is not going away. And no combination of spin, lies and ignorance can do anything to change that.

Fox News (surprise!) jumped on the anti-video game bandwagon again this week by attempting to claim Mass Effect contains graphic sex (it doesn't if you didn't know). The ignorance and lack of subject knowledge on display below is frightening. I imagine I'd be just as useful if you put me in a room of pregnant women entering their final month and then asked my opinion on epidurals. Sometimes you just need to know when to keep your mouth shut.



EA's Jeff Brown, VP of Communications, immediately jumped to action following this report. And, it appears that I'm not the only one who thinks TV might be actively trying to sabotoge the game industry through this type of bogus reporting.

"As videogames continue to take audiences away from television, we expect to see more TV news stories warning parents about the corrupting influence of interactive entertainment. But this represents a new level of recklessness.

Do you watch the Fox Network? Do you watch Family Guy? Have you ever seen The OC? Do you think the sexual situations in Mass Effect are any more graphic than scenes routinely aired on those shows? Do you honestly believe that young people have more exposure to Mass Effect than to those prime time shows?

This isn't a legal threat; it's an appeal to your sense of fairness. We're asking FNC to correct the record on Mass Effect."

After brief technical issues, they're back! In case you missed it, there was an interesting thread posted by Basch on NeoGAF today and the title says it all. Starved for absolutely any information on Final Fantasy XIII? Hunger no longer, we have gorgeous high resolution images inside. Enjoy...




As part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis project, Final Fantasy XIII embarks on an adventure full of mysticism, friendship, and strife in the name of destiny. The world calls for change. Chosen by the crystal to guide the world into this new era of change, Lightning attempts to overthrow the government from which she was cast. Cocoon, for many, is the ideal state of life. Or at least it was. Prosperity reigned upon its inhabitants. Powered by the crystal, they were given everything they would ever need: machines, magic, and other living beings. The citizens of Cocoon were thankful, but soon became scared of the threat posed from without. The people of cocoon grew scronful, outlawing any suspicious personae to the world below: Pulse. Lighning is one such person, and has witnessed the resulting injustice first-hand that has begun to overtake the world of Cocoon. After becoming friends with many of Pulse's inhabitants, she has begun to realize her true destiny.

Worlds

Cocoon



The world above, as the people of Pulse know it, was enchanted by a magical crystal that established everything that the world has now become. Monorails and hover lanes divide the living sections of the inhabitants. This is a global utopia for all kinds of modern technology. Better yet, it is a place that is constantly evolving. The technology has become so advanced that the place has now decorated itself into a formidable fortress. The defenses accrued have made Cocoon a safe haven from the denizens below, but the people of Pulse do not see it that way. They see it as if the citizens of Cocoon have stranded themselves.


Pulse



Like Cocoon, the world of Pulse was created by a crystal. 'Awakened,' as the people would state. Due to the harsh rules Cocoon has led, many believe Pulse to be a breeding ground for everything that has gone wrong with the world. It is a place filled with malcontent. They believe this is the source of all the violence and misery that occurs. As a result, the government outcasts "conspirators" to this underbelly. Since then, the exiled Cocoon citizens have discovered the truth. That Pulse is actually full of life, beauty, and majesty. Even encountering a new species: the Rushi. The Rushi are believed to have been granted the power of magic in the form of summons. It is also believed that they hold the task to restoring the world.

Characters

Lightning



Mr. 33cm



Nomchan



Summons

Shiva



Ifrit




Siren



Carbuncle



Again, all credit goes to Basch at NeoGAF for this one. Even if you're not a huge fan of the Final Fantasy franchise, these screen shots should fuel some hype.