Bob Mackey (Page 5)

Article

Tour the Biggest Failures in Gaming History with the Season Premiere of Retronauts

This week, our podcast looks back at four games with an infamous reputation for breaking dreams and burning money.

Dec. 1, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Shear Terror: Nine Questions with Project Scissors' Hifumi Kono

Clock Tower's creator shares his thoughts on revamping his classic horror series for a new generation.

Dec. 1, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Gaming's Greatest Flops: Duke Nukem Forever

3D Realms' '90s PC superstar went into hiding for 15 years while his latest sequel turned from vaporware into garbageware. Was this Clinton-era relic worth the resurrection?

Nov. 28, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Duck Hunt Dog's Dynasty: How Nintendo's MIA Mascot Climbed to the Top of the Smash Bros. Heap

The most surprising addition to Smash Bros. takes the form of a character who's become synonymous with failure over the past 30 years.

Nov. 27, 2014 Bob Mackey

Review

Far Cry 4 PS4 Review: The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Side Quests

Ubi's exotic open-world adventure returns with another take on the last installment's antics, but once again, the series opts for quantity over quality.

Nov. 26, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

The Dragula Singularity: How One Song Conquered Late '90s Gaming

A simple tune about a Sunday drive with the Devil had a remarkable presence in PlayStation-era gaming, leaving us with one lingering question: Why?

Nov. 26, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Heart and Souls: The Online Community Behind FromSoftware's Hardcore RPGs

We profile the masochistic content creators who sacrifice their time and energy to showcase every aspect of the multifarious Souls series.

Nov. 22, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Video Feature: Five Amazing DS Games You Probably Didn't Play

Take a look at the hidden gems you might have missed on Nintendo's dual-screen dynamo.

Nov. 21, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Five Reasons Why Metal Gear Solid Will Never Top Snake Eater

10 years after its release, Hideo Kojima's unexpected foray into the '60s remains his series' finest hour.

Nov. 19, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Super Mario 64: Chaos Edition: One Bad Trip Through the Mushroom Kingdom

You may have played Super Mario 64 before, but you've never played it like THIS.

Nov. 18, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Lords of the Fallen Lack-of-Progress Review: How the Sausage Gets Made

If you've been holding your breath for our take on Bandai-Namco's Souls-like, you're probably dead—and, for that, we apologize.

Nov. 13, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Five Divisive Video Game Sequels

Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, one thing is clear: These strange sequels really made a name for themselves.

Nov. 12, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Dragon Age: Inquisition Review-in-Progress: Bob and Kat Enter the Breach

We'll have our full review ready on Thursday, but until then, check out our thoughts so far on BioWare's latest fantasy RPG.

Nov. 11, 2014 Kat Bailey

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Archived USstreamer: Bob Takes on Steam Oddities Devil's Dare and Lovely Planet

These PC games might not have much to do with each other, but they'll at least keep you captivated for a solid hour.

Nov. 5, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

It's Official: The Retronauts Podcast is Coming to USgamer!

The most likely thing to happen has finally happened: Retronauts and USgamer are now BFFs.

Nov. 4, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Video Feature: A Brief History of Zombies in Video Games

Take a look at how the undead have changed over the years with our video tour of zombies through the generations.

Oct. 30, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Five Spooky Let's Plays to Watch this Halloween

If you'd rather be a bystander to terror than experience it yourself, check out these great guided tours of horror games.

Oct. 29, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

"We're not trying to create a game for everyone." PostMod's Blaine Bowen Talks Sightseeing in The Old City: Leviathan

If you enjoy storytelling by means of exploration, there's lots to love about this upcoming tour of the post apocalypse.

Oct. 28, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

10 Years Ago, San Andreas Closed the Curtain on Grand Theft Auto's Gleeful Mayhem

Rockstar's final installment in the GTA3 trilogy is huge, ambitious, and kind of a mess. But it sure knows how to have fun.

Oct. 24, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Where Has All the Funny Gone?

Games made expressly for the purpose of comedy seem to be growing more endangered by the day. Why is that?

Oct. 23, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Former Sega of America Marketing Director Al Nilsen Reveals How Tails Became Tails

This year's Portland Retro Gaming Expo revealed the high-stakes struggle to name Sonic the Hedgehog 2's co-star.

Oct. 21, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

The Lost Promises of Shadow of the Colossus

If Fumito Ueda's masterpiece hinted at the possibilities of gaming's future, why did we take an alternate path?

Oct. 16, 2014 Bob Mackey

Review

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter PC Review: One Hell of a Myst-ery

If you've been waiting for the successor to Gone Home, The Astronauts' beautiful, atmospheric open-world adventure is simply unmissable.

Oct. 15, 2014 Bob Mackey

Review

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel PC Review: Thousand-Yard Stare

If your senses haven't been dulled to Borderlands, this stopgap sequel offers even more of what you love… but not much else.

Oct. 13, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Final Fantasy XIII's Uninvolving First Half Makes Its Beautiful PC Port a Hard Sell

Freed from the limitations of consoles, Final Fantasy XIII has never looked better—but it's certainly played better.

Oct. 10, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

USstreamer: Groove Along With Vib Ribbon Today at 2pm PT/5pm ET [Update: Archived on YouTube!]

Bob plays the rhythm game Americans have been waiting 14 years to get their grubby hands on... and maybe a few other surprises.

Oct. 9, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

USstreamer: Brave the Frozen North with Bob in The Long Dark [Update: Now Archived]

Bring your parkas, gloves, and untainted cans of pork and beans—you'll need them to survive our guided journey through this harrowing open-world game.

Oct. 9, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Comfort Food Games: Theme Hospital

Bob revisits one of his favorite CMS (construction and management simulation) games and wonders why this addictive little genre didn't get much love after the go-go '90s.

Oct. 9, 2014 Bob Mackey

Review

D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die Xbox One Review: Murder by Letters

Deadly Premonition's SWERY returns with another off-kilter detective story—and finally, a budget that lets his unique personality shine.

Oct. 9, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Alien: Isolation's Al Hope on Recapturing the Creeping Terror of Ridley Scott's Sci-Fi Classic

"... We didn't really want to start sticking exclamation marks above the alien's head."

Oct. 7, 2014 Bob Mackey

Review

Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Ivory King PC Review: Icy Hot

Even if you've already handed over 200 hours of your life, FromSoftware's triumphant conclusion to their DLC trilogy will leave you wanting more.

Oct. 1, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

With Your Help, This Monkey Island LEGO Set Could Be Real

... Provided Disney's willing to sign off on it, of course.

Sept. 24, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Devs Sound Off: The State of the Indie-stry, 2014

Some of gaming's greatest ideas in recent years have come from the old-school spirit of garage developers. But are they at risk of getting lost in an increasingly competitive space?

Sept. 20, 2014 Bob Mackey

Review

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Vita Review: Last Resort

Don't let the anime aesthetic fool you—Spike Chunsoft's ambitious sequel contains some of the best writing you'll ever see in a video game.

Sept. 13, 2014 Bob Mackey

Review

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call 3DS Review: Nostalgia Delivery Device

Some of the best RPG music of all time comes to the rescue of a thoroughly average rhythm game.

Sept. 13, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Gaming Auteurs: Hideki Kamiya

From Devil May Cry to The Wonderful 101, Platinum Games' mastermind has always focused on making his audience feel as stylish as his outlandish heroes.

Sept. 13, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

USstreamer: Prepare for Total Meltdown with Duke Nukem 3D Today at 2pm PST/5pm EST [Update: Archived!]

Bring your chips and get ready to always bet on Duke as Bob plays through Mr. Nukem's finest hour.

Sept. 12, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

PAX Prime 2014: 10 Bone-Chilling Facts About Grim Fandango Remastered

Tim Schafer's panel on his 1998 classic's re-release leaked plenty of tantalizing details about the game's past and present development.

Sept. 5, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Dispatches from PAX Prime 2014: The Game Industry Rumble Drops Playful Antagonism into the Squared Circle

If you can stand seeing an N64 game projected to a gargantuan size, you're in for one of the goofiest events PAX has to offer.

Sept. 1, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Dispatches from PAX Prime 2014: On the Glory of Faded Heroes

Some things only get better with age, even if they risk deteriorating out of existence.

Aug. 30, 2014 Bob Mackey

Review

Dark Souls 2: Crown of the Old Iron King PC Review: Towers of Terrors

This second round of DLC doesn't feel quite as surprising as the first installment, but FromSoftware hasn't worn out their welcome just yet.

Aug. 27, 2014 Bob Mackey

Review

Tales of Xillia 2 Review: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

With its focus on the relentless regurgitation of content, Bandai Namco's latest RPG proves it's easy being green.

Aug. 23, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Gaming's Greatest Flops: Daikatana

id Software's wunderkind promised the world, but his ambitious FPS died on the table. Did the rise of rock star developers crush John Romero's dream?

Aug. 23, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

USstreamer Archive: Robin Williams' SNES Appearances

Bob takes on three of the famous comedian's 16-bit games (Hook, Toys, and Aladdin) in loving tribute to his '90s legacy.

Aug. 15, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Gaming's Greatest Flops: Too Human

Denis Dyack's misguided epic saw its development cancelled on two different platforms before sputtering to life on the XBox 360. Was this studio-destroying game really worth all of the trouble?

Aug. 15, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Gaming's Greatest Flops: Shenmue

Was Yu Suzuki's magnum opus a hubristic failure, or an evolutionary path left untraveled? As its 15th anniversary draws near, we find the answer could be somewhere in the middle.

Aug. 8, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

Crypt of the NecroDancer Adds a Natural Rhythm to Roguelikes

Though its central feature might seem like nothing more than a gimmick, Brace Yourself Games' strange creation gives turn-based dungeon crawling an irresistible beat.

Aug. 6, 2014 Bob Mackey

Review

AR-K Episode 1 PC Review: Orbital Decay

Developer Gato Salvaje delivers an attempt to recapture classic adventure game magic, and succeeds... at making you remember why these things have such a lousy reputation.

Aug. 1, 2014 Bob Mackey

Review

Abyss Odyssey PC Review: Training Wheels

ACE Team's art nouveau-inspired dungeon-crawler makes for a perfect introduction to roguelikes, but veterans of the genre definitely won't find the challenge they're looking for.

July 31, 2014 Bob Mackey

Article

USstreamer: Plumb the Depths of Crown of the Sunken King with Bob at 2pm PST/5pm EST [Update: Now with YouTube!]

Check out all the horrors Dark Souls 2's DLC has to offer with USgamer's biggest FromSoftware fan.

July 29, 2014 Bob Mackey