Blog Herding – The Best Blogs Of The Community (April 23, 2015)

Bloggers scored a more stunning hat-trick than Lionel Messi this week. We've got blogs re-exploring a Zelda classic, touching on games journalism, and a whole bunch of community writing challenge responses. And new this week is information for our very first community playdate. Read the bottom of this post to find out more!

Also, I'd like to make special mention of a nice community feature Matt Helgeson hosted. His Ask Me Anything (AMA) let readers inquire about his role as a video game journalist, something he's been doing for his entire adult life. I suggest you give it a read if you're interested in the field. My two cents: If it's what you really want to do in life, don't give up.

On another note, Helgeson has been a staple of the publication for many years and will be missed! Wish him luck on his next adventure!

Community Blogs For April 16 – April 22:                                  

Why Do We Write (And Read) About Games?
Rebekah wants to be a video game journalist. It – and entertainment journalism in general – is tough to break into. I've consistently freelanced for a major video game magazine and website, but still haven't "made it." Rebekah ponders why she writes about gaming and why people like to read about it, and ultimately has this to say: It's exhilarating, nerve-racking, and enjoyable to put your work out there.

Replaying a Legend – Ocarina of Time
Craigaleg didn't play The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time for 12 years. When he first played it, he loved it. This blog explores if grown-up Craig still enjoys Link's first romp in 3D. Spoiler alert: He does. Few games stand the test of time, but Ocarina of Time is one of them.

How Many Times Must I Pay?
Marco Polo isn't so sure about the constant re-releases in the video game market. Nintendo takes a lot of the blame in his blog, though he points out every company does it. I don't mind when games get re-released if they're hard-to-find classics getting some updates. What do you think?  

52/52 Week 16 – Mewtwo Impressions
Super Smash Bros. DLC character voting has taken fans of fisticuffs by storm. Mewtwo, the epic psychic Pokémon, is the first DLC character for Smash, and TheDarkestLink gives a nice review of the new fighter. While the Melee version of Mewtwo gets a pretty bad rap, the new version of this clone comes out a bit stronger.

Knowing When To Quit A Series For The Right Reasons
Pokémon is a big part of Refle's life. He grew up during its rise to stardom, watched the TV show, and even took part in the collectible card game created by Wizards of the Coast. He took a break from the series during the Game Boy Advance days, but found his way back to Pokémon Y before realizing something: He wasn't playing the game to enjoy it, but just to beat it. This is his story on why he let Pikachu back into the wilds of Kanto.

Backlog Blues
Sam_Lincoln's backlog is terrifying; there are just too many games to finish. Sam says having so many is both a gift and a curse, and I agree. It's nice to have a ton of games to choose from, but it can become overwhelming when trying to finish them. Heck, I just opened my copies of the Uncharted trilogy this past winter and finally beat each and every one. I'm only a bit late to the party.

Writing Challenge Responses:

My Top Overlooked Masterpieces from Last Gen
TonberryKing128 has a list of games he feels were ignored by too many gamers – and it's a treasure trove of masterpieces. Gems like Folklore, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and Kameo: Elements of Power (this Rare title truly is a great, overlooked game) are all included in his blog, and I highly recommend everyone seek them out.

Community Writing Challenge Response: Mario and Sonic at the (Underrated) Olympic Games
Saturday Morning Replay chooses a sports game that sees Nintendo and Sega's two most popular characters face each other for Olympic gold. But why? Well, great characters, mini-games, and events make for a fun time. And really, any Sonic game that includes Vector the Crocodile is a winning piece of software.

Community Writing Challenge: Why I Think Thief Deserves A Second Chance
Thief didn't get a grand reception when it released, and Rebekah thinks it deserves better. Sure, she admits it isn't perfect, and is a bit tedious when it comes to traversing the city. However, the art direction, combat, stealth, and asylum level more than make up for the game's weaknesses.

Community Writing Challenge (4/16 – 4/22): Mirror's Edge
According to Raging Searchers, Mirror's Edge had it all: sweet parkour moves, an intriguing story, and top-notch art direction. It's one of my favorite games (I love FPS platforming, only previously experiencing it in Half-Life and Breakdown). A Mirror's Edge sequel is in the works, which is a dream come true.

Community Writing Challenge: A Hidden Gem, Viva Piñata
GoldenBoy99 writes about a game that is very dear to me: Viva Piñata. Finding the game years after release by accident, GoldenBoy couldn't believe how much charm the game exuded. He explains how the game certainly carved out its own niche, and is something fresh for fans of gardening and animals. Too bad we haven't been lucky enough to get a current-gen release; this is one unique series. 

Second Chances: Alice Madness Returns
This is another overlooked game that didn't fare too well with critics. Adam feels differently about it, calling it one of his favorite games from last generation. The game is a more twisted take on the Alice in Wonderland tale most people are usually exposed to; insanity is a major theme. And like Super Mario, Alice gains new powers when she dons different costumes (dresses in her case).

Community Writing Challenge – Bulletstorm Deserves A Second Chance
Jack Treese loves Bulletstorm for two reasons: it's humor and points system based on how you defeated enemies. Now, the game did receive some great reviews, but Jack says the game should have made a bigger splash. Another good game that missed the chance to make its mark.

Community Writing Challenge: Gears' Second Chance
Cru Hunter takes an interesting angle on this week's writing challenge. Instead of writing about a game that didn't get enough love, he writes about how the Gears of War series started to fall apart after the third installment, and how it deserves a second chance to shine when the series re-launches on the Xbox One. As a huge Gears of War fan, I'm skeptical if Gears will ever reach its previous heights, but I'd love nothing more than to set foot in the world of Sera again.

Community Review:

Titan Souls Review: Shadow Of The Dark Souls
There is one part of Titan Souls that really sticks out for lovemeorshootme: the bosses. A hero equipped with a single arrow and the ability to roll may sound like one that doesn't know what the heck he's doing, but after reading this blog you'll know just how well-crafted this indie game is despite those limitations. Just expect to die a lot; lovemeorshootme was felled 183 times in under three hours of playtime. Brutal.

Community Writing Challenge:

When I interviewed David Gaider for the first time after the fantastic Dragon Age: Origins was released, he told me there was one thing that stood above everything else in a story: characters. An eclectic entourage could get him through a weak plot. Luckily, gaming has given us some great characters like Jade from Beyond Good & Evil, GLaDOS of Portal fame, and countless others. This week we want you to blog about the characters you love. Maybe you love Drake's witty banter, or the fact that Yoshi just sounds so darn cute. Tell us what makes your favorite characters so appealing!

Community Playdate:

Our first community playdate will take place on April 25 (Saturday) at 7:00PM Central Time Zone and will feature Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate for the Nintendo 3DS. Add me with this Friend Code: 0447-6000-4592. Come back to this post during the playdate to communicate in the comments section during our play session. I'll be here about 30 minutes ahead of time to add Friend Codes and set up a base camp. And everyone – from hardcore hunter to fresh-faced Palico owner – is welcome. You're gonna get it, Jho...

Below are the other games the community would like to play, and ones I intend to feature in our weekly playdates:

FIFA 15
Super Smash Bros. (Wii U, 3DS)
Destiny
Dragon Ball Xenoverse
Mario Kart 8

Let me know what else you'd like a playdate for!

I hope you enjoy the blogs! Please contact me via my Game Informer page or on Twitter at @LouisGarcia12 with any blog news or playdate suggestions.