Blog Herding: Community Edition 11/03/11

Even with the release of some big name titles like Battlefield 3 this past week and more highly anticipated games on the horizon, it's the third week in a row the blogging community has posted in record-breaking numbers. A collection of some of the best are provided below for your viewing pleasure.

Blog Herding Stats:

Period Reviewed: October 24 - October 30, 2011
Number of User Blogs: 149
Number of User Bloggers: 75
Number of User Blogs Herded: 9

Upcoming Events:

FragFest 2011 Fall Schedule
If you're interested in playing all of the latest video games with various members of the Game Informer community, periodically check out eyros2k's blogs for the latest on the FragFest schedule. The next event is this weekend.

Community Blogs:

Touching: The Emotion Of Games
Following up on a previous blog about the emotional impact video games have on a gamer, thatfoxguy returns with another insightful piece that more specifically addresses the emotions a gamer may experience while playing.

Rethinking The Military Shooter
A popular post earning praise from the community, Matthew Fugere muses about the intrigue associated with military-themed shooters and the future of this sub-genre.

16, 291: A Reflection
A rather intriguing blog by LittleBigDaddy calculating the number of lives he's taken during his tour of duty in the Halo universe and how this statistic contributes to the "violence in video games" discussion.

Why The 3DS Is Struggling, Not Doomed
Many of us wondered about the impact Nintendo's 3DS would have on the video game industry, and while the results haven't been all that successful, SaoSauce doesn't think the 3DS is doomed. Read his thoughts and join in on the discussion.

Top 10 Games As Art
Forget the debate on whether video games are art or not. This list compiled by thegodofwine7 includes some of the finest video game masterpieces ever created.

What I Want To See In Grand Theft Auto V
With Rockstar's announcement surrounding the next installment of the Grand Theft Auto series, Apozem contemplates a number of features he hopes are in GTA V.

Loving The Seemingly Under-Appreciated
What makes this place so awesome? Where else can a rookie member like metalmatchel get his first blog, a heartwarming piece about Final Fantasy XII, posted on the front page of the Game Informer website? You didn't see this one listed in the user blogs, but it's still worth a look.

Telling A Story
Posting another stimulating blog on the ability of video games to be used as a medium for telling stories, EuphoricEnnui also includes a few games to support his perspective.

What Games Will Receive Perfect Scores?
Game Informer has awarded perfect scores to a few games in the past; 3D Titan predicts a few games yet to be released that might be added to this prestigious list.

Notable Reviews:

Insomniac's Love Letter To Platforming Fans Everywhere
While many gamers are playing Battlefield 3, Gears of War 3, or Arkham City, Magnum provides a refreshing evaluation for a game of a different flavor with this review of Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One.

Incredible But It Could Have Been Even Better
Who knows how many gamers are playing Battlefield 3, but if the number of reviews being posted at Game Informer is any indication, it's quite a few. This solid review by markus1142 discusses his thoughts on the game and why he awarded it a 9.5.

Batman: Arkham City Review
A very thorough and thought provoking review of one of the year's most anticipated games with the only disparity being ShadowDragyn awards the game an 8.50 when nearly everyone else, including Game Informer, is giving it a perfect 10. Read his thoughts and see if you agree.

Community Podcasts, Vlogs, and More:

The Armchair Gamer Podcast SpecialSode #1
On the heels of Halloween, the AGP crew talks about the horror genre and the practice of using fear and other emotions in video games. The podcast is hosted by Light Gamebeast23456 and various other members from the GI community.

The Indie & Mojo Show Episode 11
How do you make a great podcast even better? You invite one of the most popular members of the GI community to join the hosts. This week, Jack the Quixotic Gamer joins Indie and Mojo as they talk about video games, The Walking Dead, and other things you're sure to love.              

Gameinformer Online Radio - Episode 29
Mray901 and fellow hosts chat mostly about Batman: Arkham City but also the Mass Effect 3 demo, Battlefield 3, online passes, and more.

Don't forget to send your feedback, recommendations, and community events in to my personal Game Informer account located here to ensure this feature continues to provide the content you're eager to read.

Happy Blogging!

Your friendly neighborhood blogging community (October 24 - 30, 2011):
3D Titan (2), Allen (2), Altair Ibn-La'Ahad (3), Apozem (4), Arch Bishop insectopod, Ben VanHouten, BlackHeartedWolf (2), blaze6106 (7), brainraider1 (5), Bryan M. Stafford, Cameron Koch, Chris K, Cody Gilley, Cyber-Luddite, DeadManWalking (3), Di5a5terp13ce, dkeller2 (3), dmusic09, Dr. Lingo MCMXCIV, dragonryder (2), Drym Shyuan, Enigma, EuphoricEnnui (2), febtober swords, freezeimacop690 (3), Game Over... continue?, God Of Irony, GRIM, Harbinger journey man, Icefire13, indiejones (2), Jack, The Quixotic Gamer (5), jacktheglueman (2), jets96y, John, Josh Brenner, Joshua Weibel, Kethen, Kflame210, Koob24, Lancehead255, LEVON, libertydude (8), Light Gamebeast23456, LittleBigDaddy, Matthew Fugere, Max the young true gamer (6), Mray901, Nick (2), NoMercy85, Oni no Tenshi (2), Panda (2), Public Executioner Demon Ragnarok, Rafael, reidloS doG, Romars202129, Ryan, SaintofGaming, SALOHCIN1 (2), SaoSauce, ShadowDragyn, Special Agent eyros2k (3), SPLOG Assassin LEVON, The Game Store Guy (4), The Legendary Ewok King (3), The Most Interesting Fox in the World (4), The Stranger In Us All, thegodofwine7 (3), TOGNick (2), Undertaker Adrian, Vegetarian Barbarian, Wayne Strickland, wayoverdue (4), xXBourne07Xx (10) and of course yours truly...Saint.

* Due to the significant number of spam blogs, I regret any names inadvertently left off of the list *

Video Game Quote of the Week:
"Why do you keep touching me?"  – Soldier, WarCraft: Orcs & Humans