Despite what you may think, it's no fun to write a bad review. No matter what the outcome may be we all recognize it takes a lot of hard work by a ton of people just to get a game out the door. Adam Sessler's review of Kindgoms of Amalur: Reckoning came out today, and if you've read it you know he was not pleased with the outcome. In this week's Soapbox Adam discusses how difficult it was for him to write a bad review for a game he has such high hopes for.

Sessler's Soapbox: High Hopes and Heartbreaks »

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In the past year or so it's become very common for new games to include an "Online Pass" inside the box. This code will unlock certain aspects of the game like multiplayer, co-op levels, or future downloadable content. It's pretty obvious that publishers have done this to encourage gamers to buy new games rather than used ones, but Sessler doesn't think it's the best idea. In this week's Soapbox, Adam explains the flaws he sees in this new business model and why the Online Pass may not be around forever.

Sessler's Soapbox: Kingdoms of Online Passes »

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With the disappointing sales for the Nintendo 3DS some people think handheld gaming is on the way out. Sony disagrees, and are about to release their next handheld console, the PS Vita. Adam Sessler recently got his hands on the Vita and decided to spend this week's Soapbox discussing its high points and low points. Sure the tech is impressive, the graphics are amazing, and the screen is gorgeous, but is that enough anymore? Find out why Adam thinks the Vita has an uphill battle on its hands in this week's Sessler's Soapbox.

Sessler's Soapbox: Here Comes the Vita »

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 There's been a lot of talk recently about how movie ticket sales were down last year. What you may not have heard is that video games sales were also down 8% compared to the previous year. While some people may claim this is a sign of the end of console gaming or the movement towards social gaming, The Sess strongly disagrees! In this week's Soapbox, Adam will explain why he thinks sales were down last year and why he's not worried about the future of traditional gaming.

Don't Panic! Games Aren't Dying - Sessler's Soapbox »

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Guy, this is a very special Tuesday. Not because of CES, not because of the New Hampshire primary, but because Adam Sessler has returned from his vacation. He may look a little different, but in a matter of moments you'll realize he's still the same Sess deep down. On this week's Soapbox Adam discusses Star Wars: The Old Republic and why he thinks it will be a huge success for Bioware, EA, and the MMO genre as a whole. Press play and find out why this is the first MMO to get Sessler to shell out a monthly subscription fee.

Sessler's Soapbox: SWTOR and Why It's a Success »

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Morality in gaming is nothing new. We've all played RPG and action games that have different story lines and endings based on how good or evil you play, but some games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim give you moral choices that don't affect the outcome. Such is the topic of this week's Soapbox. Adam ponders if these murky moral choices give a window into the mentality of the player and if the open sandbox allows for gamers to experiment with their dark side.

Sessler's Soapbox: Morality in Gaming »

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Nintendo head Shigeru Miyamoto said in an interview with Wired that he is interested in retiring from his current position and stepping into another role at Nintendo. Nintendo, on the other hand, says everything for old Shiggy will be staying pretty much the same. So who should you believe? As always, you should believe Adam Sessler.

In this special, collectors edition of Sessler's Soapbox, Adam discusses this whole "retirement" thing and the culture of Nintendo. Click it, won't you?

Sessler's Soapbox: Is Miyamoto Leaving Nintendo? »

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Platformers are not as common today as they were ten years ago thanks to the advance of gaming technology. However, there's something to be said about an enjoyable, brightly colored, solidly animated platformer. Rayman Origins fills that roll perfectly, and Adam Sessler can't get enough of it. In this week's Soapbox the Sess will break down exactly why Rayman Origins is such a fantastic game and why you should be playing it right this very second. 

Sessler's Soapbox: Rayman Origins and the Classic Platformer »

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Over the Thanksgiving break Adam Sessler went up to San Francisco to visit his family and got to spend some time at a few museums. After looking at all the pretty pictures, video games kept popping into his head and he couldn't figure out why. After studying a few works by the Venetian Masters it dawned on him that these painting techniques were the height of technology at the time, and could be compared to the gaming technology of today. When talented people use the newest methods of expression to present their idea, we all win in the end. So watch this week's Soapbox and soak up some culture. 

Sessler's Soapbox: Video Games and the Venetian Masters »

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 As gamers, we've been really busy recently. Between Batman: Arkham City, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Saints Row The Third, and Assassin's Creed: Revelations there's no shortage of gaming to get through. In fact, it might be too much. Such is the subject of this week's Soapbox. Adam wonders if the "open world" genre has changed so much that it's not really a type of game any longer and questions publishers' motives behind releasing all these content-rich games around the same time. Have you had time to finish them all?

Sessler's Soapbox: So Many Open Worlds, So Little Time »

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 By now you already know that Skyrim is an incredible game. Whether you're playing it for yourself or reading about it on every video game news outlet that exists, this game's impressive showing is impossible to avoid. So who could take on a subject as epic as this? Why, Adam Sessler of course! In this week's Soapbox, The Sess will explain what makes this game so incredible in his mind and how you can avoid things like dehydration, loss of your significant other, and poor personal hygiene. Happy Skrimin'!

Sessler's Soapbox: Skyrim Survival Guide »

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You may have already read about Ubisoft's unprecedented deal with Sony Pictures to make the Assassin's Creed movie. The news of this arrangement sent shockwaves not only through Hollywood, but through the gaming industry as well. Such is the topic of this week's Sessler's Soapbox. Do game companies need to have this much control over their intellectual properties to make sure they're not ruined by the movie making process? Or is this just an example of an incredibly successful publisher using their enormous amounts of cash to transition into producing another form of media?

Sessler's Soapbox: The Assassin's Creed Movie Deal »

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Battlefield 3 is a fantastic multiplayer game, but the single player campaign has received some negative criticism. Adam Sessler had similar feelings, so he decided to turn that subject into this week's Soapbox. Can a beautiful, incredibly designed game rest on its multiplayer alone? Or do you need an epic war campaign to whet your appetite for destruction?

Sessler's Soapbox: Battlefield is Beautiful but Boring »

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Yesterday Adam Sessler's review of Uncharted 3 went up. He gave it a 4 out of 5, and many of you were not pleased with that score. But did you read his written review? If you had, you might understand that he enjoyed the game a lot, but had only a handful of problems with it that resulted in its final score. Such is the topic of this week's Soapbox. Adam hates trying to apply a numerical value to the quality of a creative work, and would much rather you read a written review to understand the context and nuance of the reviewer's opinion. 

Sessler's Soapbox: I Hate Numbers »

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This week everyone's playing Batman: Arkham City, and if you're not... well you better have a damn good reason. While playing through the game, Adam Sessler was struck with a thought; Is "Open World" still a genre of video games? In this week's Soapbox the Sess will explain why he thinks the industry has developed the open world to a point where it no longer defines the game, but is a tool that adds to the player's immersion in its setting. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some citizens to save!

Sessler's Soapbox: The Open World »

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