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Kyle Orland Author Bio

Status: Ba-GAWK

Last Login: November 22, 2009 11:16:40 AM
Joined: February 26, 2008 3:28:24 AM
Website: http://www.kyleorland.com
AIM: KyleOrl
Twitter: KyleOrl
Xbox Live: KyleOrl
PSN: KyleOrl

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So I Just Watched "That Part" of Fox & Friends
By Kyle Orland | November 11, 2009
You probably already know the part I'm talking about. Yes, THAT one. Officially it was headlined "A game that lets you play a terrorist?" but unofficially it's know as "that embarassingly bad defense of video game violence on Fox News." Those who don't want to be MAJORLY EMBARRASSED for our medium should stop reading now. Those who want to know my initial, gut check reactions to one of the saddest defenses of video game violence ever shown on TV, read on. I know things are gonna be bad when Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy tells his audience that "a popular new video game actually allows you to be a terrorist and kill people." Instead of showing the controversial scene in question, Doocy shows ...

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So I just played "that part" of Modern Warfare 2
By Kyle Orland | November 11, 2009
You probably already know the part I'm talking about. Yes, THAT one. Officially it's called "No Russian." Unofficially it's called "that controversial airport scene." Those who don't want MAJOR SPOILERS should stop reading now. Those who want to know my initial, gut check reactions to what's sure to become one of the most talked about scenes in all of gaming, read on. As a game journalist, I certainly knew what I was getting in to when Modern ...

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Overheard at the Modern Warfare 2 Midnight Launch
By Kyle Orland | November 10, 2009
Random dude #1: Yo, I'll see you at the club, Dawg. Random dude #2: No you won't, I'll be playing this! (Outside the Squirrel Hill Gamestop in Pittsburgh, PA) (Random photo of Dane Cook playing Modern Warfare 2 courtesy of Giant Bomb)

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A little bit country, a little less rock and roll
By Kyle Orland | August 17, 2009
So, you been enjoying that Rock Band Country Track Pack? It's OK, you can admit it. Country is the No. 1 radio genre in the United States, even if it doesn't seem that way among hardcore gamers. But if the Country Track Pack has shown us anything, it's that, for rhythm games, country is just as good as rock or hip hop or techno or metal. Anyway, we're especially glad that the Country Track Pack introduced us to Dierks Bentley's catchy song Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go). As luck would have it, he's the next artist in the Samsung Summer Krush Concert Tour, performing tomorrow, Aug. 18 in Atlanta. ...

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Theories on the final Beatles: Rock Band song
By Kyle Orland | August 17, 2009
Late last week, word leaked onto the internet (via Game Informer) of 44 of the 45 songs that will be on the final Beatles: Rock Band disc. Since then, I've been asking friends, colleagues, and my extensive iTunes playlist what they thought that mysterious 45th song would be when it was finally revealed. Here are the best theories I heard/came up with, and some supporting/conflicting information for why each will be lucky #45. Got some guesses of your own? Leave them in the comments. The End (listen) Pros: This is the tune that immediately jumped to mind for me. Given the title, it seems a natural choice to hold as the ...

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NOT NEWS ALERT: Xbox 360's Netflix 'Exclusivity'
By Kyle Orland | August 11, 2009
A lot of gaming sites are all atwitter this morning about a new Microsoft press release touting the Xbox 360's "exclusive partnership" with Netflix to offer streaming movies on consoles. This sounds like big news, of course, because there have been persistent rumors that Netflix was close to adding similar streaming support to the Wii and/or PS3 in the near future. Engadget seems to be the first one to have explicitly noticed the "exclusive partnership" language this ...

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Make your own Game Featuring T-Pain
By Kyle Orland | August 10, 2009
If 50 Cent can have his own big budget game, why not T-Pain? We ask primarily because Mr. Pain ("T" to his friends) is having a concert in New Orleans as part of the Samsung Summer Krush Tour tomorrow night, and you can score free tickets by registering here with promotional code NOLA2. But we're also genuinely interested... what would a T-Pain game consist of? Action? Drama? Music? Would it have as much skull-stealing as Fitty's game? More skull stealing, perhaps? We're drawing ...

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The Quotable "The Beatles: Rock Band on QVC"
By Kyle Orland | August 9, 2009
For one hour tonight, QVC tried to sell the Beatles: Rock Band to its audience of parents and grandparents desperate to look cool to their offspring (and grandoffspring). Some key quotes from the hosts to give you an idea of the inanity. "It's the ultimate Beatles Christmas Gift." "If you want it, you can get it right now." [Ed. Note: Not true. It ships 9/9/09] "Think of when these great games come out, by the time Christmas comes around you can't find it." "You can play Paul McCartney's violin bass, and you don't even have to play left handed!" "That's Ringo's drum kit, isn't it?" "I think it's ...

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Ten Questions: Offspring's Noodles
By Kyle Orland | July 30, 2009
Concerts are always better when you feel like you have a personal connection with the band. With that in mind -- and in honor of our Samsung Summer Krush Tour ticket giveaway -- we asked Offspring guitarist Noodles (yes, it is SO a real name!) ten vital questions about his gaming experience. --- 1. Do you play games? Yes, I do. 2. What games do you play? I love all the Grand Theft Auto Games, the ATV Fury games, and I keep going back to my Kelly Slater Pro Surfer game. 3. What's the longest stretch of time you ever spent playing a game? Oh, I don't know, maybe half a day? 4. What in-game item do you wish you could use in real ...

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Contests Galore: Free Tickets, Free Phones, Free Stardom!
By Kyle Orland | July 29, 2009
Aspiring bands across the country are getting a chance at stardom with Harmonix's recently announced Rock Band Network, which lets indie bands submit their tracks as downloadable Rock Band songs. But why settle for virtual stardom when you and your band could have a chance at real stardom? The Samsung Summer Krush Tour is running a contest to find the opening act for its final leg in Hollywood, CA. The winning band will also get five grand, an appearnace in SPIN Magazine and a chance to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Not too shabby! Don't have a band? ...

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Vitals: 25, married, Maryland

Education: University of Maryland class of 2004. Double degree in computer science and journalism.

Publications: Started fan site Super Mario Bros. HQ (smbhq.com) in 1997 at the age of 14. Started a game review column for the University of Maryland student newspaper, The Diamondback, before moving on to freelancing in my free time for the likes or GameSpot, Electronic Gaming Monthly, The Escapist and Next Generation. Became a full-time videogame freelancer in August of 2006. Currently work regularly for Weblogs Inc.'s Joystiq.com, NPR's Press Start podcast and GameDaily's Media Coverage column, with occasional features around the game journalism industry.

Platforms played: All platforms, but mostly consoles and portables (my PC isn't really up to snuff). Love my DS and my Xbox 360.

Favorite genres: Platform, action/adventure, rhythm, party, casual and anything original or eclectic.

Least-favorite genres: RTS, FPS and RPG, though I'll make exceptions for exceptional ones.

Multiplayer or single-player: Both! Haven't really gotten into online multiplayer, though, with rare exceptions.

My favorite Top 10 games ever played:

1. Super Mario 64
2. Metal Gear Solid
3. Dance Dance Revolution
4. SubSpace/Continuum
5. BioShock
6. Space Channel 5
7. Ico
8. Super Mario Bros. 3
9. NFL Blitz
10. Yoshi's Island

What makes me tick: Good friends, good sports and good stories.

A Zombie of a Chance: Looking Back at the Left 4 Dead 2 Boycott

November 20, 2009 7:30:37 PM

@garion333:

Y'know, going in, I didn't either. Thought it'd be a nice thousand word interview story. Instead it kind of ballooned into an instant history/analysis. Glad you liked it.
Internet's Fastest Game Reviews - Assassin's Creed 2

November 20, 2009 11:15:05 AM

Question: Is this going to make sense after the AC2 ad campaign is over?

Answer: Who cares?!
Internet's Fastest Game Reviews - Assassin's Creed 2

November 20, 2009 10:14:05 AM

Rated M for More LAUGHTER!
A Zombie of a Chance: Looking Back at the Left 4 Dead 2 Boycott

November 19, 2009 4:11:25 PM

My impression, personally, was that the leadership was relatively rational and clear about what it wanted, but got influenced by the batshit parts of its membership a bit too much at points. The fact that they got any attention from Valve validates their efforts, to an extent.

That said, yeah, they did write some pretty delusional stuff.
The New Gaming Collectibles

November 18, 2009 4:43:38 PM

@DavidThomas:

Is there an easy way to tell the good ones from the bad ones, without actually having to, y'know, play the game? That would also be a problem.

My thinking is the controversy was so minor and solved so quickly that it's more of a historical footnote than a real in-demand collector's item.
The New Gaming Collectibles

November 18, 2009 1:12:43 PM

@DavidThomas:

You're thinking of Kakuto Chojin. It's rare, but there seems to be absolutely no demand for it... you can find used copies for under $10.
The New Gaming Collectibles

November 18, 2009 1:10:58 PM

@RyanKuo:

Throw in $20 and I'll take it off your hands.
The Week in Gaming - November 16, 2009

November 16, 2009 6:29:53 PM

@Catastrophic1:

Glad you liked it. Tune in next week... same bat-time, same bat-channel!

@Hollaback22:

Whaddya mean "most"? That was ALL hilarious, and you know it!

@CG-Prophet:

I doubt a bible program would really be a system seller... that's a large outlay for something of limited use, even if you're a bible scholar. It's a nice impulse purchase for religious Xbox owners, but not a driver of console sales, IMO.

@dr_anomaly:

I can't wait for the "honored the sabbath and kept it holy" achievement, that you only get by not playing Xbox on Sunday for a whole year!
Games That Time Forgot: Retro Game Challenge (2009)

November 13, 2009 4:30:30 PM

I totally noticed that "Press Start" thing too when I was younger! You are not alone! That said, I didn't notice it in Retro Game Challenge. Man, they are as obsessive as we are.

Here's one for you... do you remember those early NES games where you could only press "select" to change options on the menus? Up and down wouldn't work, for some reason. What was the deal with that? Did the early designers figure "well, there's a select button... we might as well make the player use it."
“Welcome to the King of Iron Fist!”: Practice Makes Perfect? by Evan Narcisse

November 13, 2009 1:43:48 PM

@johnteti:

Tagbacks are no fun because the break the game... you end up just standing next to each other endlessly tagging back, because it's the optimal strategy... there is nothign that beats it. In a fighting game, on the other hand, cheesing (meaning specifically abusing one move over and over again) should never be like this, if the game is well designed. There should be a way to counter every move and strategy, especially if you can see it coming through repetition.

If you want to stop someone from cheesing, you can beat them when they do it (and I bet they stop after that). If you want to stop someone from tagbacks, you can't... there is no counter-strategy. That's why you need a rule against tagbacks but you just need to get better against cheesing.

Super Mario 64 DS (DS)

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A Zombie of a Chance: Looking Back at the Left 4 Dead 2 Boycott
12 Comments
Last November 22, 2009 by Gr1mm4
You can tell they're working hard by the picture of Chet on the second page! :D http://i48.tinypic.com/4udnc5.jpg
25 Great Games You Can Feel Good About Buying for Your Kids This Year: 2009 Edition
10 Comments
Last November 22, 2009 by david99
I love Little King's Story, fantastic title. But there are some racy things in it, that if a parent would buy for the child and watch the child play, would ...
Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier
1 Comment
Last November 22, 2009 by longtimegamerr
"Jak II was a sci-fi version of Grand Theft Auto, with a city full of hovercars. Then Jak III did a cartoon "Mad Max" dune-buggy overworld when Borderlands ...
Jones Destroys Valuable Collectable; Hangs Head in Shame
11 Comments
Last November 22, 2009 by garion333
@CG-Gabe: No one, which is why the price is now down to $2500.

Weekend Playlist, 11/13/2009
35 Comments
Last November 18, 2009 by girlgamer21
@RyanKuo: thank for letting me know.
The Questionable Ethics of Brütal Legend
34 Comments
Last November 22, 2009 by Andy Bates
@DavidThomas: “To the contrary, I think that a game that uses metal and humor and a narrative that does not attempt to define good is an ambiguous ...
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
31 Comments
Last November 22, 2009 by longtimegamerr
Tom Chick it has been severa; years since I've read your reviews. You seemed to going thru a sustained "PC RTS phase" and I never really felt the joy ...
"It's a Massacre!": The Appalling Failure of Modern Warfare 2's "No Russian" Mission
29 Comments
Last November 17, 2009 by RyanKuo
@TomBissell: Pulling out narrative flowcharts to defend the scene doesn't seem so different from calling it out for being awkwardly rammed in, ...

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	Column: Games for Lunch: Excitebike: World Rally by Kyle Orland \| 11/20/2009 4:47:34 PM \| 0 comments Kyle returns to Excitebike -- now with more online wheelies.
	Feature: A Zombie of a Chance: Looking Back at the Left 4 Dead 2* Boycott* by Kyle Orland \| 11/19/2009 9:42:14 AM \| 12 comments What is the legacy of the Left 4 Dead 2 boycott? We speak to the founder.
	Column: The Fryer, Vol. 22 by Kyle Orland \| 11/17/2009 8:55:25 AM \| 0 comments This latest batch of videogame news features tragedy, drama and a radical new direction for the DSi.
	Review: New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii) by Kyle Orland \| 11/16/2009 5:13:10 PM \| 4 comments New Super Mario Bros. Wii dares to mess with a time-honored formula. How does it fare?
	Feature: It Ain't Perfect: Modern Warfare 2 by Kyle Orland \| 11/12/2009 8:48:07 AM \| 7 comments No game is perfect. Not even Modern Warfare 2!
	Column: Games for Lunch: LEGO Rock Band by Kyle Orland \| 11/11/2009 5:11:09 PM \| 0 comments Is an hour enough to convert Kyle into a LEGO rocker?
	Column: Press Pass: Building a Better Aggregator by Kyle Orland \| 11/10/2009 9:04:55 AM \| 16 comments CriticDNA gets ready to take a bite out of Metacritic.
	Column: Games for Lunch: Modern Warfare 2 by Kyle Orland \| 11/10/2009 8:39:43 AM \| 8 comments Blood, smoke and flying shrapnel obscure Kyle's first hour of Modern Warfare 2.
	Column: Games for Lunch: DJ Hero by Kyle Orland \| 11/9/2009 12:27:39 PM \| 0 comments Kyle tries his hands at DJing.
	Column: What If? Vol. 2 by Kyle Orland \| 11/4/2009 5:41:12 PM \| 2 comments What if things had been different for the Odyssey and the PlayStation?
	Feature: Games That Time Forgot: Mad Maestro!* (2002)* by Kyle Orland \| 11/4/2009 9:04:14 AM \| 1 comments Mad Maestro! didn't sound like any other music game.
	Column: Games for Lunch: Half-Minute Hero by Kyle Orland \| 11/3/2009 12:30:08 PM \| 4 comments Half-Minute Hero makes it quick.
	Column: Games for Lunch: Rapala: We Fish by Kyle Orland \| 11/2/2009 5:09:56 PM \| 0 comments Is Kyle's ninja magic strong enough to keep him from feeding this game to the piranhas?
	Feature: Games That Time Forgot: Spider-Man* (2000)* by Kyle Orland \| 11/2/2009 9:05:43 AM \| 4 comments Even sticky webs couldn't save Neversoft's Spider-Man from getting buried this decade.
	Column: The Fryer, Vol. 21 by Kyle Orland \| 10/30/2009 12:32:21 PM \| 1 comments Nintendo's next move, new Rock Band rumors and more in breaking videogame news.
	Column: Games for Lunch: Tekken 6 by Kyle Orland \| 10/28/2009 7:17:55 PM \| 2 comments Kyle dukes it out Tekken-style across Xbox Live.
	Feature: The Ultra-Bargain Bin by Kyle Orland \| 10/28/2009 9:35:53 AM \| 15 comments Can America's used games compare to those in Japan? Kyle took his $20 as far as it could go.
	Column: Games for Lunch: Muramasa: The Demon Blade by Kyle Orland \| 10/27/2009 5:17:15 PM \| 0 comments Kyle keeps breaking his sword.
	Column: Games for Lunch: Axel & Pixel by Kyle Orland \| 10/26/2009 2:37:09 PM \| 0 comments Time to get surreal. Here's the first hour of Axel & Pixel.
	Column: Press Pass: Gaming's Grassroots with GamePolitics' Pete Gallagher by Kyle Orland \| 10/23/2009 9:19:54 AM \| 0 comments Pete Gallagher speaks on changes at GamePolitics.
	Column: Games for Lunch: Brütal Legend by Kyle Orland \| 10/21/2009 3:14:50 PM \| 5 comments Kyle tries his horns on.
	Feature: Breaking the Lock by Kyle Orland \| 10/21/2009 9:47:37 AM \| 32 comments We shouldn't be content with how we are asked to experience games.
	Column: Games for Lunch: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves by Kyle Orland \| 10/20/2009 5:59:39 PM \| 1 comments Nathan Drake narrowly escapes death about 765 times in the first hour of Uncharted 2.
	Feature: It Ain't Perfect: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves by Kyle Orland \| 10/20/2009 10:15:24 AM \| 51 comments We expose the dark side of Uncharted 2 reviews.
	Column: Games for Lunch: Borderlands by Kyle Orland \| 10/19/2009 5:11:04 PM \| 8 comments Kyle plays fetch in the wasteland. No, not that wasteland.
	Column: The Fryer, Vol. 20 by Kyle Orland \| 10/15/2009 5:22:51 PM \| 5 comments The Fryer turns 20. Read on for the latest and greatest videogame news!
	Feature: Six Things My Family Taught Me About The Beatles: Rock Band by Kyle Orland \| 10/12/2009 9:51:36 AM \| 2 comments Kyle brings The Beatles: Rock Band to his family and gets much in return.
	Review: Gran Turismo (PSP) by Kyle Orland \| 10/8/2009 5:48:04 PM \| 3 comments Gran Turismo takes your racing very seriously.
	Review: Wii Fit Plus (Wii) by Kyle Orland \| 10/6/2009 6:21:04 PM \| 0 comments Wii Fit Plus is more fun than Wii Fit. But is it much more fun than a workout?
	Column: The Fryer, Vol. 19 by Kyle Orland \| 10/1/2009 4:41:18 PM \| 0 comments Police raids, professional advice and an unexpected price drop -- all in a day's videogame news.
	Feature: Mythbusters: The Truth Behind 10 Great Videogame Myths by Kyle Orland \| 10/1/2009 9:13:35 AM \| 12 comments We look at -- and dispel -- some longstanding videogame myths.
	Column: Press Pass: Wasting Time With Robert Ashley of "A Life Well Wasted" by Kyle Orland \| 9/24/2009 5:00:48 PM \| 2 comments Four episodes in, Robert Ashley spells out his mission statement for "A Life Well Wasted."
	Feature: The Great American Gaming Landscape by Kyle Orland \| 9/24/2009 9:17:56 AM \| 24 comments The latest NPD press release sheds new light on the North American console market.
	Column: Games for Lunch: Zuma's Revenge by Kyle Orland \| 9/21/2009 5:40:43 PM \| 0 comments Colored balls meet a stoic frog in Zuma's Revenge.
	Column: Games for Lunch: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story by Kyle Orland \| 9/18/2009 3:24:05 PM \| 1 comments Bowser gets exposed in Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story.
	Column: Games for Lunch: Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection by Kyle Orland \| 9/17/2009 4:15:58 PM \| 4 comments Fake pinball comes surprisingly close to the real thing.
	Column: The Fryer, Vol. 18 by Kyle Orland \| 9/17/2009 3:24:15 PM \| 0 comments How to win a trip to Valve headquarters, and more breaking news, in the latest Fryer.
	Column: Games for Lunch: Scribblenauts by Kyle Orland \| 9/16/2009 5:35:13 PM \| 4 comments Write your own Game for Lunch (after reading about Kyle's).
	Column: Press Pass: The Review Copy Revue by Kyle Orland \| 9/10/2009 10:15:08 AM \| 10 comments We expose the mysterious magic of getting early review copies!
	Feature: Six Things I Learned About the Xbox 360 From My Family by Kyle Orland \| 9/9/2009 4:03:05 PM \| 5 comments Are Kyle's sister and cousin a new breed of gamer?