Breaking the Gender Barrier in Gaming

I’ve been playing video games since I was four years old. I’ve scaled Mount Hyrule and plunged through Zora’s Domain. I’ve run through every castle in the Mushroom Kingdom until I found the princess.  I’ve stopped international conspiracies by nefarious weapons corporations using my secret agent skills.  I’ve saved Azeroth more times than I can count. I battled off the Zerg and the Protoss from the Koprulu Sector.  I’ve saved my Vault from dying of thirst, and found the GECK for my people. I’ve even rallied the galaxy to fight off the Reapers.  And yet there’s one barrier that I have yet to surpass as a gamer: my gender. Read On »

Video Games Live 2012 Tour – Not Quite What It Used To Be

In October of 2006, the woman who would one day be my wife and I attended a concert in downtown Toronto’s Massey Hall. For two hours we were treated to the sounds of some of our most favorite video game titles over the last 30 years, and would make us diehard fans of the show. After attending two more shows in Detroit, and an additional two in Toronto (including a free concert held in Dundas Square) over the last six years, I couldn’t pass up the chance to see them at LA Live’s Nokia Theatre this last June during E3 2012.

Knowing now what I knew then, however, I think I should have passed. Read On »

Booth Babes of E3 2012

The hiring of models, or “booth babes” as they’re more popularly referred as, is a common occurrence at major industry events. From the North American International Auto Show, to CES, to E3, you’ll see them at just about every trade event in North America and around the world. It’s interesting to watch as event-goers, both attendee and media, line up to get their pictures taken with the girls as they sport big smiles as though… Read On »

Challenge Accepted – Wanderson75.net Joins Extra Life 2012

Contrary to popular belief, I have a lump of muscle tissue located directly behind my sternum.  Even more surprising, and flatly denied by my editor-in-chief, it does in fact pump through my veins something other than a congealed blend of rattlesnake venom and repressed hate. What’s even more astonishing is that I am capable of thinking about kids in a context outside of whether they’re tastier baked or fried.  About this time two years ago, these reality-breaking revelations acting in concert led  to my searching for gaming charities other than the widely known Child’s Play.  This in turn put me squarely onto the path of the budding charitable juggernaut called Extra Life. Read On »

Games for Moms – Thoughts for Mother’s Day Gifts

So, Mother’s Day is this weekend – Sunday, to be exact. And since you’re here, we know you love video games. Why not share this love with your mom? Her interest may surprise you. Read On »

Book Report – Gamers At Work

The videogames industry pulled in over $25 billion in 2011 and has crept into the everyday lives of not only hardcore enthusiasts, but casual users as well.  With home consoles, portable devices and mobile smartphones, every person is touched to some degree or another by this money-making juggernaut. Read On »

Tempting the Fates of Time: Tempest Book Report

Jackson Meyer has led a relatively normal life up until recently.  He’s got a job, he goes to school, he has a girlfriend… and then he discovers that he can travel back in time.  Unlike most time travel stories, this seems to be more of a glancing back in time, interacting with people, yet never able to change the course of events.  At least that seemed to be the case until he and his girlfriend are attacked one night and she is fatally shot.  In a flash of panic, Jackson manages to jump away from the scene and finds himself trapped two years earlier and unable to leave. Read On »

Book Report – Cinder: Throwing a Monkeywrench into Fairy Tales

Adding to a long line of fairy tale retellings is Marissa Meyer with Cinder, the first title of The Lunar Chronicles series. Although we’ve seen and heard the story of Cinderella many times in different forms and styles of creativity, Meyer’s may be the freshest idea yet. If you’ve come across the simple cover art of a woman’s lower leg adorned by a cherry-red, spike-heeled shoe, you may already have an inkling as to why Cinder isn’t your typical tale of a kind, beautiful maiden who eventually gets a happily-ever-after ending with her prince. For those of you looking for a romantic read filled with cute animals, mild adversity, and a straight-shot to a predictable ending, Cinder is most likely not for you. However, if you want a story with depth, filled with political intrigue, mystery, in-your-face realism, and an underlying hint of romance, read on… and mind the mild spoilers! Read On »

Book Report – Sisterhood of Dune

People who are familiar with Frank Herbert’s 1965 science fiction masterpiece Dune will undoubtedly know about a few organizations; The Bene Gesserit, the Swordmasters, the Mentats, the Spacing Guild – even anyone who’s seen any of the film versions should be able to recall their importance.

In the world of Dune, these societies act as a backdrop, an Establishment the book’s hero subverts.

However, in Sisterhood of Dune, Kevin J. Anderson, prolific author of spin-off and tie-in novelizations in many popular science fiction IPs, and Brian Herbert, Frank Herbert’s son and auteur of the Dune expanded universe, attempt to anchor the creation of these institutions some 10,000 years before the events of the original story.   Sisterhood is the first novel in the Schools of Dune trilogy. Read On »

Have Yourselves a (Non)Geeky Valentine!

Ah love is in the air… or at least that’s what the stores want you to believe – and with the red, pink, hearts galore, who wouldn’t be in the mood for some romance?   Once Christmas and New Years are over, inevitably you’ll see the winter decorations shoved to the For Sale shelves, making way for the cuddly toys hugging hearts, proclaiming undying love and ownership.

Valentine’s Day – a much disputed holiday: It’s a Hallmark marketing scheme!  It originated from a jailed martyr that happened to write a few ‘love’ notes, but we see it as the one day to shower your loved ones with gifts, to show them that no, you don’t take them for granted… see, here, have a gift!

But gripe all you want, Valentine’s Day continues to happen every February 14, with people young and old celebrating love and friendship.  Kids continue to buy little Valentines to give to their friends, while adults scope out jewellery, expensive chocolates, and classy restaurants.   After a while, chocolates and romantic dinners become a given… so why not try something outside the box? Read On »