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Written by Michael Barryte – While Nintendo might not have showcased the strongest line-up during this year’s E3 edition of Nintendo Direct, they’re soon giving consumers the greatest 2D Mario game ever in the form of Super Mario Maker, which allows players to create their own Mario levels in the styles of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World or New Super Mario Bros., each with associated physics and movement options.Players are given rows of items to choose from, which can be stacked and combined with other elements, and every parameter of a Mario level can be […]...

Written by Michael Barryte – Unravel was a big surprise from EA this year, so famously known for sports, cars and guns, and it looks and feels fantastic. Developed by Coldwood Interactive, Unravel puts the player in control of Yarny, an inquisitive and resourceful yarn critter, who uses the yarn from his own body to solve puzzles and explore the world around him and as he traverses, he encounters memories and histories attached to various items and locations.Gameplay handles like a standard puzzle-platformer, with running, jumping and shifting items to reach new locations. Yarny can lasso himself onto specifically marked […]...

Written by Michael Barryte – For Honor is a new franchise developed by Ubisoft Montreal, which puts the player in a four-vs-four match with various modes. Taking place in a medieval setting, players take control of either male or female characters with varying skill sets such as Knight, Viking, or Samurai (though on the floor, only the standard knight was available). The E3 demo consisted of a zone battle. With each captured zone, the team earns points and once a team reaches 1000 points, the other team loses the ability to respawn, cuing that the end is near, but re-capturing […]...

Written by Michael Barryte – Cuphead is a truly wonderful concoction of indie goodness. The games takes visual cues from 1930s Disney cartoons, marrying a charming aesthetic with tight controls, tough as nail boss battles, and two player co-op.Cupheard is visually one of the most dynamic games of this year’s E3. Character designs and movements feel perfect and the world is brimming with subtle nods like “Acme” brand items and wild spiral eyes as characters grow more menacing.The story is straightforward. Cuphead has lost a bet with the devil and is looking to repay his debt by running and gunning […]...

Written by Michael Barryte – Virtual Reality buzz is building throughout the gaming community: Oculus Rift revealed its final price point last week and now Sony has thrown its hat into the ring with Project Morpheus. While tech demos were presented at the previous E3, this year more accurately showcases the variety that Sony wants from developers. Please note, Project Morpheus could only be accessed through scheduled appointments and those registered were randomly assigned to a demo. I was assigned to Kitchen.I was initially disappointed by the demo’s title. Perhaps this would be nothing more than a cooking simulation of […]...

The Star Wars prequels have their share of fans, but I think it's fair to say that the majority of us feel they weren't up to scratch..not by a long shot. So how can Disney and J.J. Abrams ensure that we don't get more of the same with Star Wars Episode VII? Screen Junkies have brought in Upright Citizens Brigade member Justin Donaldson and reputed Star Wars critic Michael Barryte to discuss what they feel absolutely Needs to happen for this highly anticipated return to the galaxy far far away to be a success.

You know what they say about opinions, and everyone having a stinky one? That phrase increases by 500 when you apply opinions to J.J. Abrams. developing Star Wars: Episode VII. The movie.s so hotly debated, fans lose their minds when No news is handed out to them. Can you imagine how they.ll react when actual facts start dropping. (If, in fact, they ever do actually drop.) But the video above is worth your time, believe it or not. The guys at ScreenJunkies assembled a team of Star Wars nerds . including Upright Citizens Brigade member Justin Donaldson and reputed Star Wars critic Michael Barryte . to discuss what absolutely Needs to happen for Abrams to hit a home run with the first Star Wars movie in years. What do they suggest? Stay away from members of the Original Trilogy! Or, make them the Only members of the cast. Fair enough. ...

Credit: Jackie Whisler

On YouTube yesterday, a video went viral that bases its core concept on a "What if" question that most geeks have pondered for a decade.

What if "Star Wars: Episode II" was good, like really good?

This is the second time that Michael Barryte of Belated Media has asked such a question of the "Star Wars" fan community. His first "What if" took on the much-maligned "Episode I" and cast Barryte in the role of a story executive at 20th Century Fox when George Lucas was developing his prequels. Over the course of 12 minutes, Barryte tweaked, snipped, and rearranged moments from "Episode I," turning it into an Obi-Wan Kenobi-centric film with an older Anakin, no Jar Jar Binks to speak of, and a version of the beloved Darth Maul that doesn't die too soon.

Barryte's version of "The Phantom Menace," which emphasized character moments and development and...

Written by Michael Barryte For those unfamiliar with this quirky real-time strategy series, the Pikmin games revolves around a commander using the unique abilities of plant-like Pikmin creatures to collect ship parts, treasure or fruits all while traversing lush environments and occasionally slaying enemies. At E3, while it is possible to play with the Wii U GamePad or even the Pro Controller, the game was playable with the Wii remote and nunchuck. Those familiar with the Wii re-releases of the previous Pikmin titles will feel right at home controlling the three new commanders, Alpha, Britney and Charlie, as they control the many colorful sprouts. The one issue with the Wii remote set up is the camera sometimes...

Written by Michael Barryte During and after Nintendo's E3 presentation, the words "asymmetric gaming" where tossed around multiple times. According to the study of game theory, asymmetric games are described as .games where there are not identical strategy sets for both players.. In Nintendo's case, when they talk about asymmetric gaming, they're referring to the Wii U's ability to deliver two completely different gaming experiences concurrently on two separate screens--the Wii U GamePad and the television. And while Nintendo may have touted it heavily, it was Ubisoft who truly showed off the potential of asymmetric gaming with its upcoming survivor horror game, ZombiU. The E3 demo objective was straight forward: capture four flags to win. The twist, however,...

Written by Michael Barryte On June 6, thousands swarmed the Greek Theater in Los Angeles to witness The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, a celebration of one of gaming's most beloved franchises. The event was hosted by actress Zelda Williams (named after the princess, in fact) and was a delight for fans, showcasing The Ocarina of Time, The Windwaker, Twilight Princess, and A Link to the Past. The orchestra was conducted by Eimear Noone, who also conducted the Zelda 25th Anniversary concert the year prior, with arrangements for the four-movement symphony by music director Chad Seiter. However, once the symphony itself was over the orchestra was far from done as Williams came out multiple times to...

Written by Michael Barryte "Just like Mario has always been, but better." These are the words Reggie Fils-Aime, President of Nintendo of America, used to describe what fans are constantly clamoring for when it comes to a new game featuring Big N's mascot. But in recent years "always been, but better" is not the approach that Nintendo has taken with Mario; not completely. While the plumber has ventured into two galaxies and his own 3D Land, in regards to 2D platforming, things are starting to feel stale. When remembering the "classic" Mario games, each one stands out because of its style, not its gameplay, which has stayed virtually the same since day one. Imagine Super Mario...

Written by Michael Barryte "Just like Mario has always been, but better." These are the words Reggie Fils-Aime, President of Nintendo of America, used to describe what fans are constantly clamoring for when it comes to a new game featuring Big N's mascot. But in recent years "always been, but better" is not the approach that Nintendo has taken with Mario; not completely. While the plumber has ventured into two galaxies and his own 3D Land, in regards to 2D platforming, things are starting to feel stale. When remembering the "classic" Mario games, each one stands out because of its style, not its gameplay, which has stayed virtually the same since day one. Imagine Super Mario Bros...

Written by Michael Barryte Rhythm games are the expected fare from the company that brought us Rock Band and its follow-ups. Harmonix has ventured out of its comfort zone this year with Dance Central for the Xbox 360 Kinect. Dance Central is more than just stepping to the beat ala Dance Dance Revolution; you actually dance, all the while Kinect captures your every move. The menu system is simple and intuitive. Kinect's camera detects the central player's arms to navigate a scrolling menu. Hold your arm up, you scroll up. Hold it down, you scroll down. To select, simply swipe your arm across. The actual dance screen is colorful and easy to follow. I was initially lead...

Written by Michael Barryte Disney Epic Mickey has got elements from so many genres that the 'epic' in its title feels all too fitting. The game feels very much like a platformer from the N64 and PlayStation era. Mickey sports a double jump and an added spin to allow him to remain in the air. He also has paint and thinner which are a huge mechanic of the game as just about everything in the environmen can be painted or eraced, thus revealing secrets or removing obstacles. Another fun element of Epic Mickey is that it plays on the ever popular RPG trend where your actions have direct consequences in the game's universe. In the demonstration, the pirates of...

Written by Michael Barryte Socom 4 for me is not just another Socom game. It was the first game where I got to see how the PlayStation Move handled a third person shooter. The verdict: very well, thank you. I could talk about graphics, but with the PS3 everything is supposed to be gorgeous and Socom 4 is no different, so let's just focus on the gameplay here. Socom allows you the freedom to chose to play with a controller or with Move, and I'd argue that Move is a more intuitive choice as it makes the game more fluid. I'm not a huge Socom buff by any stretch and one of the big...

Written by Michael Barryte Kinect is Microsoft's attempt at penetrating the casual gamer market that Nintendo has been hoarding since the Wii hit shelves. Tech wise, Kinect offers a more engaging experience than either the Wii remote or the PlayStation Move, but the telling factor, like everything in the industry, is the games. Kinect Adventures is all about flailing and points. In many ways it feels like two-player mini-games lifted from Mario Party. The demo offered three different games: a raft ride, an obstacle course, and a ball game reminiscent of pong. The raft ride was fairly simple. By shifting your body, you and your partner would guide a raft down a river trying to collect as...

Written by Michael Barryte Metroid: Other M is a hybrid of everything I love about Super Metroid and Metroid Prime. The 3D environments are spectacular, there are bursts of action followed by moments of absolute stillness and the gameplay remains intact, despite the unique third-to-first person element. Team Ninja has done a fantastic job crafting this game. The demo is lengthy and introduces a new play style as we explore Samus's past with Adam Malkovich (Metroid Fusion) and the Galatic Federation. The cut scenes are quick and to the point, while still developing character, though one can assume there will be far less talking once the game really gets going. Samus meets up with the Galactic Federation...

Written by Michael Barryte Goldeneye is one of those games that graced the N64 and made it an absolutely stellar console to own. But since Goldeneye, James Bond has never had so great a venture and Activision has set to make this right. The Wii-make of Goldeneye is a classic translated to a new generation raised on Halo and dual analog control. The game is played with a Classic Controller, though I can tell you, you'll want to pick up the Classic Controller Pro, which has additional shoulder buttons and feels more akin to the N64 controller (though sadly the Z button is not a trigger). The buttons have naturally been remapped, but everything from crouching...

Written by Michael Barryte Here's the thing about being a fanboy: we're incredibly difficult to please. We gripe and moan about a forgotten franchise (Timesplitters), but when its finally delivered, we pick it apart. The same can be said about The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. I prayed that another Zelda would be on Wii, but from what I've played I'm not thrilled. Don't get me wrong, this is Zelda. You're Link, you have the sword, the shield, the items, but there in fact lies the problem. Nintendo felt the need to retool the game. Okay, they're free to do that. However, in this very short play through, I didn't get a good enough feel of...

Written by Michael Barryte In recent years, developers have attempted to change their public image; more specifically, they've tried to change the general public's image of gamers. Games such as Konami's Dance Dance Revolution and Nintendo's Wii Fit get gamers off the couch and moving, and now Ubisoft's Your Shape: Fitness Evolved for the Xbox 360 with Kinect continues the "get off your couch" movement. Having played Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, it's very apparent that this is a true workout game. What sets it apart from the rest is the fact that this isn't a rhythm step game or a game that relies on a peripheral. Your Shape takes full advantage of Kinect's 48 points of recognition, actively...

Written by Michael Barryte This E3 has brought a lot of new technology center stage: Xbox 360 and Kinect, PlayStation 3 and Move and now, Nintendo and 3Ds. People had seen Kinect and Move in action, but the 3Ds, while announced, had not been given the spotlight -- that is, until today at Nintendo's E3 press briefing. Nintendo of America's President Reggie Fils-Aime was first to admit that the only way to understand it was to play it. This has been something of a Nintendo proverb since the DS and Wii were announced and has been touted proudly ever since. Before discussing what Nintendo's newest portable does, a quick physical breakdown is in order (scroll down for high...