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Welcome to The HotSpot, GameSpot's weekly audio show in which we recap the hottest news and trends in the gaming industry over the past week. Plus, we take your e-mails and phone calls!

The HotSpot - Saints Row, Need for Speed - 11/23/11

Tom Magrino
By Tom Magrino

Of dildo bats and played-out tropes, The HotSpot crew tackles Saints Row: The Third and Need for Speed: The Run.

Hear me out on this: Including a bat shaped like a dildo--indeed, uttering the phrase dildo bat--is a progressive step for the game industry. Seriously, that's an argument that's made, as Carolyn Petit, Kevin VanOrd, Tom Mc Shea, and Tom Magrino tackle played-out tropes in the context of Saints Row: The Third. Also, Need for Speed: The Run does not leave us breathless, panting, begging for more. I mean, after that run? We're not even winded!

The HotSpot - Saints Row, Need for Speed - 11/23/11 by gamespot

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Tom Magrino
By Tom Magrino

Tom Magrino has covered the games industry since 2006. He's been compared to Steve Martin by Ozzy Osbourne and Daniel Craig by Tim Schafer. His voice, heard largely on GameSpot's podcast, recalls that of Kermit the Frog. It ain't easy bein' Magreen.

73 Comments

  • rjfern7

    Posted Mar 30, 2012 5:00 pm GMT

    @TomM_GScom Thanks! Hooray!

  • Arther-la-Blunt

    Posted Dec 1, 2011 8:33 am GMT

    Motor CIty Online. I loved that game!

  • Hirasugi

    Posted Nov 30, 2011 12:59 pm GMT

    Im blind arggh!!!

  • Cptmcrofl

    Posted Nov 30, 2011 12:27 am GMT

    Starwars from what I've seen is the only MMO that seems like it has everything I need to enjoy it. Played WoW for years and have never seen a game with the same fluidity and I'm excited.

  • Magrino

    Posted Nov 29, 2011 9:53 am GMT

    @JackZor23 The Professional Adult will be in living color on this week's show.

  • JackZor23

    Posted Nov 28, 2011 5:29 pm GMT

    Thomas Magrino, where is the Professional Adult?

  • endorbr

    Posted Nov 28, 2011 11:08 am GMT

    @TomM_GScom - In that sense I agree. Ultimately I think it's going to vary game to game what mechanic is right. I suppose that means it's up to developers to do a better job of figuring out what's right for their game instead of just basically tacking on what's been done before.

  • Magrino

    Posted Nov 28, 2011 10:04 am GMT

    @endorbr I think the argument there was that games like Vanquish and Prince of Persia have showed us that it doesn't have to be completely game over when you die. It's not about consequences or punishment or true-to-life; if anything, it's the exact opposite. It's about devising a better failure mechanic.

  • endorbr

    Posted Nov 28, 2011 9:41 am GMT

    Games are supposed to ultimately be fun. I don't understand this obsessive idea about getting rid of extra lives or making the idea of life have importance in a game. I'm pretty sure that people understand real life has consequences (whether they choose to acknowledge them or not). We play games to distract or escape from real life. So if you didn't have all those extra lives you'd last all of about 3 minutes in a game like Super Mario Bros. The first time you screwed up and fell down a hole or bumped into a goomba you'd be GAME OVER. What would be fun about that? It is supposed to encourage you to become more skilled. If you run out of lives (basically chances) you have to start completely over.

  • FreedomPrime

    Posted Nov 28, 2011 9:38 am GMT

    tom arguement about star wars being free to play is nonsense. The reason why lord of the rings,champions, star trek, and all those other games went free to play is cause they were losing players to Better games like wow. Star wars has alot of hype and expectations behind it, most people are assuming its gonna be great and to them that's worth the subscription fee. if wow was as bad as those other games, there would no way people would be willing to pay for it, but because wow has alot of content, and BETTER content, that is why they can be a subscription based game. Star wars is aiming to be as good as wow, therefore I think it will not go free to play for some time.

  • FreedomPrime

    Posted Nov 28, 2011 9:24 am GMT

    I am very excited about the new guild wars. It looks soooo gooooooooood.

  • FreedomPrime

    Posted Nov 28, 2011 9:17 am GMT

    I like how kevin says "it's a quick time event, what potential is there" when one of the biggest best selling games on the play station is mostly made up of Quick-time events
    ....god of war.....

  • FreedomPrime

    Posted Nov 28, 2011 8:31 am GMT

    @rjfern7 Wow, that might have been the dumbest statement I have heard all year. She is a trans gender. People have the right to be who they are. It's nice to see a company like gamespot to employ people with alternative lifestyle's.

  • forest4

    Posted Nov 27, 2011 10:25 pm GMT

    Excellent show, keep up the good work!

  • Ronnie1983

    Posted Nov 27, 2011 3:21 pm GMT

    Hi there i love listening to the HotSpot greets from holland Ron Outt!!!!!

  • Ramy-86

    Posted Nov 27, 2011 11:13 am GMT

    saints row ROCKS!!!....
    if you played GTA you sure as hell gonna love this game....

  • NL_GHOST

    Posted Nov 27, 2011 2:01 am GMT

    got Saint's Row, mpretty fun actually...
    might get NfS...

  • megakick

    Posted Nov 26, 2011 8:43 pm GMT

    EA spent 100 million dollars on SW:OR? What the hell did they spend it on? Looks like a WOW clone with dialog choices. No thanx.

  • JackZor23

    Posted Nov 26, 2011 8:09 pm GMT

    Wheelbarrow driver Go.

  • carolynmichelle GameSpot staff member

    Posted Nov 26, 2011 10:54 am GMT

    @BenderUnit22 Thanks!