Rockstar Games is evolving.

I want to take a break from my "top 10" blogs to discuss Rockstar games for a moment. Rockstar Games holds a lot of nostalgia for me. Their first big hit, GTA III, was the reason I bought a ps2 and I bought every GTA game since. Back then GTA was their ticket into fame, infamy, and fortune. But when this genration hit, Rockstar proved they were not a one trick pony.

Red Dead Redemption proved to me that Rockstar was past the childish elements of GTA. It had elements to it that screamed "Rockstar!" but without all the hookers and the innumerable innuendos of the GTA series. That is not to say I dislike those things, they are fun every once in a while but as I grew older I wanted something more than cheap laughs. Read Dead Redemption had more of a deeper story that said a lot about the earlier old west days; about how history back then is not so different from modern times. Red Dead Redemption was like a window into the past and since we don't have time machines, that is a good as it gets.

Im hoping Rockstar will continue this in their upcoming game, LA Noir. La Noir seems a lot like Red Dead Redemption, only set in the 1940s with a classic detective theme. From what I have seen in the trailers. this is a pretty classy game in many ways. The facial capture technology is not only very good but the story seems mature, gritty and engaging. Rockstar games is once again trying to show us a window into a different time. If Rockstar keeps uo this pace, GTA may have to share the fame with a few of its younger brothers.

Im impressed with how much Rockstar games has changed over the years. When you think they can't get any better, they push the boundaries even more by trying new approaches. Developers who try to copy them are always a step behind because no one knows what Rockstar will do next. They are not followers; they are one of the leaders of the industry. I am very excited for LA Noir, but I also want to hear a little bit about Agent pretty soon too. Maybe that will be the cream of the crop. Until then, kudos to you Rockstar, Keep on developing.

Aimless Podcasts End of the Year Nominees and Contest Details

It's that time again folks. Time to start talking about which game was better in its respective genre and which game ruled them all. This is a special one for us though since it'll be our first End of the Year podcast officially as Aimless Podcasts. So to commemorate the occasion, I'm running a little contest. I'll get to that later. First off, there will be a segment devoted to what you, the listener, has to say about the games that came out this year (Jan. 1st 2010-present). To do so, we're going to need some nominees from you. The 3-5 nominees (depending on how many different ones we get) in each category will make it to the final poll where you will get to vote on the best in each category before out End of the Year podcast on December 15! These are not limited by platform so any game you want across all the current platforms (PC, PS3, 360, Wii, PSP, and DS) apply. Feel free to write your reasoning should you feel the need. The categories include:

Here's 5 recession busting games!

In this ever growing climate of people becoming bankrupt and families scraping to make their next buck, the games industry seems to be ever growing. Call of Duty Black Ops appears in 1 out of 9 homes’ video games collections in the US, Nintendo have brought casual gaming to the masses with the Wii and more kids in American schools know a fat Italian plumber’s face, than they do a squeaky Disney mouse.

However, after all that, games are still one of the most expensive forms of home entertainment. You’ll find most DVDs now in BOGOF deals, Blu-Rays are approximately €20/30 and Sky TV, at its most expensive package, is over £60 in the UK and over €70 in Ireland for a month of 999 channels...or something like that.

Your average, new video game for the 360 or PS3 will set you back between €50 and €60. Downloadable games are an exception to the rule. But even the Limbo’s and Super Meat Boy’s of this world are constantly rising in price.

So, why pay money!?! Or at least, why pay a LOT of money. Free software is becoming a lot more readily available through the likes of Steam and word of mouth whilst mobile gaming has brought little nuggets of joy to iPhone & Android users around the world. The days of Snake being the biggest graphical advancement in your pocket have well and truly gone.

To those that are feeling the pinch, and let’s be honest, who isn’t, here are a few inexpensive morsels of joy to get your fix. Some of these games are on multiple platforms, some are browser games, but all in all, here’s 5 games to whet your whistle...a whistle you had to pawn off ‘cause you are one broke b@$+@&d.

Plants Vs Zombies

PopCap’s tower defence that spawned cosplayers around the world to wear traffic cones on their heads is a definite for casual and hardcore players of all kinds. PvZ came out in 2009 on PC & Mac but has since found its way onto nearly every platform imaginable. Also, on every platform, the price varies greatly, however, on iOS for the amount of levels, the great gameplay and the accessibility, €2.39 is a steal.

Doritos Crash Course

I didn’t expect to add product placement on here...so...for equality’s sake...Walkers Sensations are very tasty too. Anyway, this game is pretty much Total Wipeout in a 2D platformer. It’s fun and free! Released on XBLA in ’10, it encompasses pickup-and-playability. It isn’t the most diverse or deep game you’ll ever play but if you want to burn 15 minutes, this is it. Sadly, Top Gear’s Richard Hammond isn’t involved.

Tiny Wings

One of my favourite games of 2011 was developed by one German developer. Not a team, one man. It can be picked up on the iPhone for €0.79. It is THE best use of touchscreen controls on society’s must have gadget. There is no on-screen D-Pad, no virtual buttons, nothing. You just touch the screen to make your bird slide down hills and take it off to make him fly!

The Wiki Game

If you’re like me, you can spend hours staring at your computer screen, just browsing. Wikipedia, makes this even more interesting and you can find yourself looking up A Flock of Seagulls discography for no other reason than, “boredom”. Well, why not click onto thewikigame.com and make a game of it! Word of warning, don’t click if you’re planning to be somewhere in 10 minutes. You’ll be late.

Drop7

God, this is addictive. Like a mix between Tetris and maths class. If I tried to explain it, my head would explode...look, just play it. It’s free on iPhone (with ads, but I’m sure you’ll get over it). It’s great. Trust me.

And that’s just scratching the surface. There are plenty games out there to play that are inexpensive, even cheap. With the advent of Facebook games and now even Google+. Even though you’re wallet is empty, that doesn’t mean your game library has to be.

New Title from Fire Hose Games: Go Home Dinosaurs! Playable at PAX

Feisty indie developer Fire Hose Games will be introducing their brand new title, Go Home Dinosaurs!, at PAX this coming weekend.

Described as a fun, new take on tower defense players will piece together weapons shaped as puzzle pieces - all powered by tiny mammals - in an effort to defend against the invading menace: dinosaurs. Tower defense, gophers with lasers, dinosaurs and meteor showers - how can you resist when BBQs need saving from enemy pterodactyls? The cause is just, folks, time to wage war.

Your character and abilities can level up by collecting and trading cards, "This game has it all, blending short, simple, easy-to-get-into fun with deep mechanics that keep things exciting and new." While platforms are still up in the air, according to Eitan Glinert, Fire Hose Games' Fire Chief, they're hoping for "some combination of console, PC, mobile".

If you'll be at PAX you can check out the game at booth 6408, in Indie Alley and next to the PAX 10. Anyone that knows me knows that I'm more than a little fond of the TD genre, so I look forward to getting hands-on with the game and telling you all how it's shaping up!