Welcome to GamerDad: Gaming with Children. My name is Andrew S. Bub - the GamerDad - and I've been writing about videogames, movies, and children for over 15 years now. After working as a magazine journalist, I switched gears to write about how media violence affects children, educating parents about them, and working closely with magazines, newspapers, major retailers and even politicians. GamerDad is an internationally recognized expert in this field. Games, movies and media are fun, kids and families love them, they aren't going away. So join me in cutting through the hype and lets have a real conversation about the things that matter: Video Games, Violent Media, and their supposed effect on children and families.
Welcome to GamerDad: Gaming with Children. My name is Andrew S. Bub - the GamerDad - and I've been writing about videogames, movies, and children for over 15 years now. After working as a magazine journalist, I switched gears to write about how media violence affects children, educating parents about them, and working closely with magazines, newspapers, major retailers and even politicians. GamerDad is an internationally recognized expert in this field. Games, movies and media are fun, kids and families love them, they aren't going away. So join me in cutting through the hype and lets have a real conversation about the things that matter: Video Games, Violent Media, and their supposed effect on children and families.
Gears of War 2
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Posted on April 2nd, 2009 by
All right! Ok, I’ll cover Gears of War 2. So stop asking! The short of it is “Yes” I disagree with the ESRB and “No” I do not seem to like the game very much. I liked Gears of War fine, wasn’t great but the cover system was new and things blowed up real good. The sequel is several orders worse in terms of writing, plot, characterization, and all the other stuff most teens don’t care about. Maybe I should play more but -yeesh- all the faceless/personalityless enemies and the dunder-headed characters. I have trouble getting past that. Anyway, “yes” I disagree with the ESRB.
Madworld
Posted on March 31st, 2009 by
SEGA’s Madworld owes a (gigantic) debt to Frank Miller’s Sin City, mixed with a few teaspoons of Sam Raimi, just a pinch of Snake Pliskin and a huge dollop of aged Smash TV. “Black and white and red all over.” That’s this world and the pencil like artwork is detailed and wonderful, if sometimes a little busy and distracting. Okay a lot distracting, but it is cool. The only other color you’ll see is red, blood red, lots and lots of bloody blood red stuff. The reason is simple. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a game about mayhem, ultra-violence, pitiless and tasteless combat and my god, it’s kinda fun! more…
Lux-Pain (DS)
Posted on March 31st, 2009 by
Lux-Pain is a text adventure game for the Nintendo DS. Usually these types of games never make it outside of Japan, so you have to at least give Ignition credit for being brave enough to release it here. In the game you play as Atsuki, a young man with special powers who is a member of FORT. FORT is a secret organization established to battle the Silent: invisible, worm-like entities that infect humans and take over their minds, causing them to commit crimes and suicide. It’s up to Atsuki to go undercover and enroll in a high school in danger of being infected by the Silent.
Monsters vs. Aliens (movie)
Posted on March 30th, 2009 by
Pixar makes literature, Hayao Miyazaki makes art, Dreamworks makes fluffy gagfests. Monsters vs. Aliens (which I saw in 2D because my theater listing lied to me) is that third thing. And I don’t just mean it was made by Dreamworks. But that’s all right. Fluffy gagfest is probably best when your title gives away so much of the plot.
This Week in Games: March 29 – April 4
Posted on March 29th, 2009 by
After some weeks that left folks wondering how they missed spring & summer and went straight to the fall release schedule, things have calmed back down. The big release is Guitar Hero: Metallica for the XBOX360, PS3 and Wii. And not too much else – especially since the PC release of Braid has apparently been delayed until August! Check out the list! more…
House of the Dead: Overkill
Posted on March 29th, 2009 by
House of the Dead is probably the most famous rail shooter. What’s a rail shooter? Well can take that literally, you’re “On a Rail” and shooting the beasts that come out of the dark at you. The series is known for towering boss monsters, horrific voice acting and writing and music you’ll never get out of your ears. The Wii is the perfect substitute for light gun technology, so it’s not surprising to see another sequel shuffle in.
Game Review: Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures: Episode 1 (PC, Xbox LIVE)
Posted on March 28th, 2009 by
Get your cheese and crackers ready, because the Academy Award-winning clay animated duo, Wallace and Gromit, are back! This time, they’re starring in a series of episodic point and click adventures from TellTale Games, makers of the Sam & Max and Strong Bad titles. The first of four of the 3-6 hour long episodes, Fright of the Bumblebees, can be downloaded on your PC (visit TellTale’s Web site), and later this Spring it’ll also be available on Xbox Live.
GamerDad & BBC Radio
Posted on March 26th, 2009 by
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) first contacted me about a year into my doing GamerDad. The interview went well, but there was obvious doubt and hostility from the other end and the piece they ran emphasized the “being careful” part of my argument but used “games can’t be good for you”, which isn’t my philosophy. Last September a nice journalist from BBC Radio contacted me about doing a pro-gaming/pro-family thing. And that we’d get to be on the Radio in Britain! more…
Wild Things Are?
Posted on March 25th, 2009 by
When I first hear that Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are – which is a book that somehow means freedom to me, yet barely has any plot – was being made into a film, I snorted. When I heard noted weird arty director Spike Jonze was directing, I was more impressed. Now I’ve seen the trailer and poster and . . . I can’t wait to see this. more…
