PixlBit

So now that I beat the game, I want to comment:

I *kind of* liked it. Just kind of, though. Could be a case of it being over hyped at this point for me, but I don't think that's the case. It wasn't too hard of a game and more often than not I felt like I was way overpowered compared to the enemies. Smart usage of the shield almost always protected me and hurt enemies. By the time I got toward the end of the game I was a walking tank thanks to the tonics and the upgraded weaponry.

The narrator, which is arguably the most impressive part of the game, didn't do anything for me. He talked too much during parts where my mind was focused on doing something else, so it became very easy to completely tune him out. I wish he'd only talk when I could pay attention, but that wasn't the case.

I'm not sure I appreciated the graphics most of the time. I guess they look kind of nice at points, but other times it looks like something out of one of those ads for a free to play MMO. I think without question, the soundtrack was the best part of the game. It's fitting because it so often sets the tone for the level.

The music and action pairing would've been more immersing for me if the levels were a little more interesting. There were a few that stood out - namely the level with the heavy overgrowth and the last level in the game - but most looked pretty similar.

I can't put my finger on exactly what caused it, but more often than not I just felt like I was going through the motions. Completing levels to get through the game - like my mission was to beat it, not to enjoy it. Sometimes along the way I found myself enjoying the experience, but more often than not, I was just pushing through to complete the game.

Oh well, it was only $5, so I feel I spent the right amount. Had I paid full price, I don't think I'd be so forgiving.

@Kathrine - Fair enough on the owning part though I have played the crap out of all of these games. They were all pretty popular games, which I guess makes them a good choice, if you haven't owned every one of Nintendo's handhelds. I'm guessing many of the ambassadors are having a similar problem.

As silly as it may sound, I would've gladly taken a coupon towards a brand new game than the whole lot of 20 games they provided.

Hey look, a bunch of games I already own and have played to death. Hooray!

Damn, Jason beat me to it! Yeah, the system worked out really well. If I remember correctly, there would've been a tie between Zelda and Portal 2 if we were just going by first place votes and Skyrim would've taken the overall award by 1 vote.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they typically vote for MVP and the like in sports in this same fashion. I definitely think we'll be going with this format again in the future because it was so successful. Also of note - we did completely blind voting, so nobody had any specific influence over the results.

I definitely think people were more generous to exclusives when voting for the console GOTY winners and Portal 2 lost its footing there as a result. It was also spread thinner for the same exact reason across platforms.

In any event, it was an interesting experience this year and I'm really pleased with the results. The staff pulled together in an amazing way and made the awards something special and extremely memorable.

Back to being angry. Stupid Vita.

I love SoulCalibur, so I'd be down for this, though I don't think I'd wind up playing anything outside of SC2. That was the pinnacle of the series for me - an absolute classic.

South Park: The Game. That is all.

Haven't you heard, Angelo? Capcom has disowned Mega Man - it surely has nothing to do with Inafune leaving the company, nope, nothing at all.

I dig this. Of all of those games, the only one I do have is Final Fight: Double Impact, so count me in on this one. Of course, I'll wait for a price drop and grab this sucker at around $10 or less - and that's why I love retail!

Hey now, some new questions. Alright, I'll tackle these one by one.

1. I started PixlBit for a number of reasons, mostly selfish. I used to write for Nintendo World Report along with my wife Chessa. It had gotten to the point where we were unbelievably invested, spending a good bit of time working on things for them. Knowing that I had learned everything I needed to know, I figured I'd go and start my own web site where I could not only express and execute my own ideas, but cover games across all systems.

When I started the site, I was in a shit, dead end job that I hated. I hoped it would pull me out of that and make me and my wife totally self reliant. Well, that never really materialized as the site makes a negligible amount of money, so it became more of a fun hobby for a while. These days with all of the growth, I'd say I'm back on the warpath. I'd love to monetize the site and do it full time. It's my love and my passion and if you haven't noticed from the staff (seems you have), they have a love and passion for it too. It would be amazing to make PixlBit a gaming institution and I don't think there's much that can stop me from trying to make it such.

Balancing a family certainly makes it tough, but I'm hoping that things take off and I'm able to dedicate more time to it.

2. We've been tossing around a few ideas for swag - we're probably going to be making some shirts, but a bumper sticker sounds like a great idea too. I'll look into it and let you know - I'd rock one on my car as well :)

3. I enjoy pretty much everything about gaming. It started when I was a kid just enjoying the games, but it didn't take long to realize that I could really connect with other people talking about games and discussing strategy. As the internet came into play, it really opened up the world. It allowed me to learn the culture that was developing, learn the developers that make the game, and get a nice handle on the big picture. Joining the media only pushed all of the further along. I now personally know tons of people in the industry and have even been within arms length of Miyamoto at E3.

I think gaming is one of the most miraculous inventions because it's a completely different medium than any other. It's interactive, so it lends for wildly varying experiences. I think we've finally reached the point where people are beginning to challenge what a game can be and the results are some extremely unique titles that would never exist if the question wasn't asked. I can't wait to see where it goes in the future and I know I'll be there every step of the way. I hope my son is into games, because it would be amazing to share all of this with him (including the more than 1500 games I have amassed).

4. Yeah, we definitely carry some higher standards. Bottom line, I regular member will have a better chance of winning because they actually care about the site. Passer-bys will be considered for sure, but they don't earn the same respect from the staff. We care greatly about all of our readers and I'm of the mindset that building an army of dedicated readers is worth far more than thousands of infrequent one-offs.

As for the staff - I absolutely agree, they do rock. It's hard to find people willing to contribute their time and effort FOR FREE, but even harder to find people of the caliber we have hear. They do so much more than contribute their time, they invest their heart and souls. It literally warms my heart to know that PixlBit makes a real difference in people's lives and has had such an impact on a select few that they are willing to contribute in the capacity they do. It's remarkable to say the least.