There is a high correlation between "programmer" and "gamer". One of the first Area 51 sites we launched, based on community demand, was gaming.stackexchange.com. Despite my fundamental skepticism about gaming as a Q&A topic -- as expressed on episode 87 of Herding Code -- I have to admit it has far exceeded my expectations.
Putting it out there, the fact that you can steal a truck, jump out of the cabin onto the roof and zipline to a helicopter, then use that helicopter to hijack a freaking plane?
That’s pretty damn awesome by anyone’s standards.
Very much agree about Just Cause 2. Excellent game. I got hooked after downloading the demo on XBOX Live.
Yep, played the demo on PS3 and bought it within a few days. It can get a little repetitive after a while and in some areas can be frustrating to get 100%.
The multi-launch rocket launcher available as an add-on in PSN is worth a look too.
How do you manage to run a startup, have a baby and still have time to play video games? Please, what’s the secret?
Heh, running a company must be pretty intense if it makes GTA seem like work…
Totally agree !!
The Openess of this game is cleary his main asset. You have such a freedom sensation, and can do so many incredible things…
Well… Definitely a must buy !
It is absolutely riotous fun for a while, but after you’ve finished the main story, and done all the checkpoints races, then trying to 100% the game becomes very tedious indeed. I Hate the game mechanic of having to collect 100 of some item from far flung corners of the game world (and it’s a massive game world), but this game has well over a 1000 objects to collect before you can 100% the game. Not good.
But if you ignore the 100% stuff then it’s very good fun. If only there was a multiplayer mode…
What is a “8 player pack”?
Curse you and your productivity-destroying recommendations!
[downloading it now…]
Don’t forget OnLive! I just bought it (on sale for $15) and I can play it on my Mac without the need for a fancy video card.
Does JC2 work on OSX?
@nayan 8-pack is basically you get 8 copies of the game, thereby allowing you to give away 7 copies to friends. it’s part of steams “give and get” sale.
I love this game. My brother and I did a bunch of modifications to it (making the zip line longer, changing the properties of some of the vehicles, etc).
because the developers gave us an impossibly powerful personal zipline
If you thought the “default” zipline is ridiculous - just wait until you try the Bolo patch ( http://m0.to/BOLOPatch/ ) Multiple ropes FTW!
If you’re looking for the sale on Steam, you’re likely too late… Steam changes their daily sales at 10am PST / 1pm EST… and it’s nearly noon now PST / 3pm EST.
Having said that, today being the last day of the sale, Steam is likely running a Best Of sale. I don’t know, because steampowered.com is blocked where I work.
Yahtzee’s version of a positive review is actually a positive review. See his review of Psychonauts for example.
OK Jeffery, I see your recommendation and I will raise myself a purchase.
If GTA III is like work, then logically it follows that work must be like GTA III. At this point I choose to assume that you are giving us a little insight into the approval process to promote an Area 51 site to a fully fledged Stack Exchange site, and potentially why Spolsky is always so grumpy.
Also, you are correct, I do not understand what a false syllogism is.
Thanks for the recommend 
It’s currently $15 on Direct2Drive and $30 on Steam. The license still gets registered with Steam so if you like Steam to manage your games, you still get that benefit. I started playing it last night–and it is quite fun.
Jeff, steam has had excellent sales on GTA IV, I got my copy for $5 last Christmas. It is the first GTA I have played and I can’t tell you how many hours I have logged in it. I would recommend an Xbox 360 controller on the PC version.
I also picked up Just Cause 2 and it is a blast but I was hi-jacked by Borderlands and still need to go back and play JC2.
I would also recommend splurging on a triple head display system. GTA IV and JC2 work flawlessly. Send me an email if you like some YouTube links to gameplay videos on my rig with GTA IV and JC2 (just the demo level).
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com for all the info you need for going triple head.
Trav