Midnight Madness, Embrace It !

Everyone has been swamped with plenty of new games lately. And almost every title has come with a midnight release. Since games are usually released on Tuesdays, that means the massive midnight events happen on Monday nights. While this may seem really impractical during the week, here are a couple reasons why you should check them out.

First, and the most obvious: They are Crazy Fun ! Light-hearted atmosphere, great conversation, sometimes there are even cool games. Go with a fellow nerd, a non-gaming friend, or even go by yourself. Its a good time either way.

Second: Meet Awesome People ! You are bound to be standing next to someone interesting. Everyone who is standing in line loves the same game you love. You can geek out for hours while waiting for doors to open. Who wouldn't want to end their crap-lousy Monday by meeting dozens of new friends that love the same stuff you do. Its also a great way to meet new people for co-op. Strike up conversation with those around and before you know it, you will be exchanging gamertags.

Third: Amazing Perks and Deals ! Pre-ordering and picking up a game at midnight almost always comes with awesome little goodies. Keep your eyes peeled for avatar gear, extra weapons, and free songs. They also promote additional savings on strategy guides or extra money for trade-ins. And if the midnight event is the right size, there can be free drinks, free food, and giveaways.

Don't forget these easy tips to make your night more fun. If the store is outside, be mindful of the weather. Many times the line waits outside the store for hours, so dress accordingly. It sounds really obvious, but I have seen so many people not realize how cold you get standing outside at midnight without moving. Have a snack and a drink with you, even better if you have enough for everyone. I recommend a big bag of animal crackers or goldfish crackers. Your neighbors in line will love you for sharing. Lastly, bring a game. If you have a PSP or a DS, throw that in your bag. Maybe even load some fun apps on your phone. But if the crowd happens to not be the most lively bunch, you will be glad you brought it with you.

While a lot of the major midnight launches have passed, there are still a couple more out there waiting. And now, the next time a bank-draining slew of titles hits all at once, you will be prepared.

Zombie Video Games ............. Yawn

Every couple of years there are cultural explosions of random things. Lately we've seen ninjas, pirates, and now we are back to zombies. We've seen them all before and we will see them again. But zombies have infiltrated the video game market and they won't let go. My question is this: "When will there be a 'new' zombie game"?

With little exception, zombie games appear to all be the same concept. There are endless waves of zombies. Now survive. And that's about it. Games like Left 4 Dead, Dead Rising, and the Burn Zombie Burn all thrive on the same idea of finding new ways to kill. Some of them come up with new ways as to how the zombies came to be. Others change up who the main character is. But for the most part, there is not much imagination in the games themselves.

I can respect that zombie games have become their own genre. After all, what are FPS games other than point and shoot over and over ? But they typically know their place. I don't play Final Fantasy and then suddenly there is a DLC pack that allows me to actually shoot down the sites for hours. But for some reason, super lame zombie DLC and add-ons are popping up everywhere. Borderlands had the crap-tastic download of Dr. Ned's Zombie Island. Call of Duty hit it off with Nazi zombies, but now that extra feature gets more creative attention than the regular game.


Now I'm sure there is some zombie-buff out there reading this and fuming. They've seen all the zombie movies with directors commentary, watch the tv show, and play the games. This person is just dying to put me in my place about zombie media. But the bottom line for me is that I used to like some zombie games, but the over-saturation has totally turned me off. I want to be able to walk away from a game without them sneaking in there. I want to continue to be a completionist without trudging through waves of the walking dead. I can't wait until developers ease up on cramming zombies down my throat because I, like numerous others, am totally over it.