PUGCAST EPISODE 5: SILENCE IS NOT THE ANSWER

By Power Up Gaming Staff

Show Notes: We're five shows in now, which means it's time to take off those training wheels. In this special episode, it's time for the panel (mostly) serious. Of course, that means that our chief news rater Scott Russell wasn't invited to the party. Sorry, Scott. It does, however, feature the debut of everyone's favourite news editor, Jon Nielson.

This week's show kicks off with the customary rating of the latest video game news. In Scott's absence, Tara Jayne steps up to the plate to grade everyone's stories, which include yet another Xbox One price change, a man dying from too much gaming, Elder Scrolls Online going free-to-play, and Microsoft's announcement of its HoloLens AR project.

Moving on, the panel discuss their most infuriating and frustrating gaming moments. From gagging themselves on their controllers, to punching their opponents in the face, each of the participants has a funny recollection of a time when the rage just got a little too much.

We then get down to the meat and potatoes of this episode: a roundtable discussion on representation in video games, and the movement that has been termed 'GamerGate'. In a well thought-out and articulate debate, the panelists all weigh in with their thoughts on what has been, rightly or wrongly, one of the most burning issues in the video games industry over the past year.

The guys then each briefly talk about the games they've been playing over the past couple of weeks, as well as those that they're looking forward to in jam-packed February. Listen here.

2014: THE CRITICAL TURNING POINT OF REPRESENTATION IN GAMES

By Jamaal Ryan

Writer's Note: This article was also featured on Kotaku. Special thanks to Patrick Klepek, and be sure to check out more thought provoking commentary on games in Worth Reading.

If there was one important theme to pick from the last 12 months, it would be: “Don’t you realize? Everyone’s a gamer!”

Now, this is a two part statement. In one aspect, it succinctly highlights the demographics of the video game community, using the term “everyone” as a way to illustrate exactly who plays video games today. It also acts as an assessment of cultural awareness; a reality-check if you will. The question “don’t you realize?” challenges any form of neglect or dismissiveness in order to re-orient those who choose to remain resistant to progressive diversity. And while signs of industry growing pains have been present throughout the entirety of 2014, game makers have clearly listened, ultimately making significant adjustments as to who is represented in our games. Read more.

GTA V MAKES THESE OLD PEOPLE VIOLENT

Shared by Jamaal Ryan

These senior citizens end the debate on violent video games.

SINGLE-PLAYER ONLY: WHY I PREFER SOLO GAMING

By Georgie Catto and Jamaal Ryan

Since the dawn of the information age, people have had the ability to communicate with people half a world away. While the information super highway has brought with it many benefits, this increased interconnectivity does occasionally have its downsides. Here are a few thoughts from two gamers (who incidentally live half a world away from each other), on why this invasive electronic advancement isn’t necessarily a good thing. Read more.

PLAYSTATION NOW: CHEAPER, BUT NOT CHEAP ENOUGH

By Jamaal Ryan

Even though video game streaming services have been floating around the industry for quite some time (look no further than OnLive and pre-Sony acquisition Gaikai), PlayStation has made a big splash in the market with their own take on cloud gaming, PlayStation Now.

Earlier this week, Sony announced that players who subscribe to PlayStation Now will gain access to a catalogue of more than 100 PlayStation 3 games, which will stream to various platforms and devices including PS4, PS3, Vita, and selected Sony branded televisions. Read more.

2014 PUG GAME OF THE YEAR AWARDS

By Jamaal Ryan

At the start of this year, some friends and I talked about what some of our most anticipated games were for 2014. Alien: Isolation, The Evil Within, Destiny, Batman: Arkham Knight, The Witcher 3, Evolve were but a few of the many titles that were feverishly discussed. The funny thing, though, is that half of those games were delayed until 2015, and the other half were incredibly divisive.

The past 12 months caught a lot of gamers off-guard, including myself. It was a year of broken promises that changed the way that game reviews were treated, and a year where fan favorites appeared seemingly out of nowhere. But by the end of this 52-week wildcard we call 2014, five games have resonated with me the most, earning a spot on my Game of the Year list. Read more.